Name: Kiera Kemppainen

Sport: Varsity golf

Grade: 12

How long have you been playing golf?

“I have been golfing for about ten years. I’ve been playing competitively for eight years, but the first four years were on a PGA Jr. League team, which is nine-hole scramble matches.”

What other sports do you play at FHC? 

“I also am on the ski team and am one of the captains for this season.”

What is your best memory from your time playing?

“Every year, we play in the Kent County Classic, which is a typical 18-hole tournament, but we get to play with our teammates rather than other teams. It’s one of our first tournaments of the year, and it’s really fun to be able to play with our team. Last year, only five of us played, but this year was the whole team, which was exciting. This year was only nine holes because we got delayed three hours for rain. Though it was tough to get out and play after sitting inside Saskatoon for three hours, I had a lot of fun being able to play with the rest of the team. It’s definitely been my favorite tournament.”

What are the strengths of this year’s team? 

“The majority of our team already has at least one year of varsity experience since we had no seniors last year. Last year, most of us were new to varsity, so knowing what to expect this year has helped us a lot.”

What are your individual goals for this year’s season? 

“My goal this year is to get more consistent. Golf is a sport that allows your game to be good one day and off the next. It requires a lot of work and fine-tuning, which means that sometimes my game gets sacrificed by changing my swing. I hope that by the end of the season, I can be more consistent in my scores because of the changes I’ve been making.”

Who is the biggest influence in your athletic career and why?

“My dad is definitely my biggest influence. Golfing and skiing are both sports that he used to do and encouraged me to do when I was younger. Since he has experience in both sports, he’s always pushing me to get better and work harder to keep up with him.”

Who is your favorite professional athlete and why?

“My favorite professional athlete is Mikaela Shiffrin. She’s a huge inspiration within skiing because she holds the most World Cup race wins out of any man or woman. She’s a good representation of how hard work pays off.”