Crisp County Golfer Hannah Hamilton Wins ITG Next 2021-22 Georgia Community Involvement Award
Hannah Hamilton, a junior golfer at Crisp County High School, won the ITG Next 2021-22 Georgia Community Involvement Award, presented by Crisp Regional Health Services.
The Hamilton family lives on the fourth hole of their local public golf course. As children, Hamilton and her brother both enjoyed walking with their father, JP Hamilton, around the course and hitting golf balls. This sparked the idea for Hamilton to try out for the Crisp County golf team her sophomore year.
“We now have something we share together and will last a lifetime,” said Mr. Hamilton.
Hamilton picked up golf relatively easily and placed fourth out of 32 girls her very first season in the area tournament held in Statesboro, Georgia.
“Her coach noticed her form, swing pattern, and natural ability to make a beautiful golf swing,” said Mr. Hamilton. “We, as her parents, quickly saw this as well and her potential based on us observing her swing as well others noticing how she performed swinging the golf clubs.”
She barely missed the individual state tournament last season as a sophomore, but this season she accomplished her goal of qualifying and competing for a state championship. She qualified and played in the GHSA 3A State Championship that was held in Thomson, Georgia.
Hamilton, who is on track to graduate on the honor roll in 2023, has shown insane discipline and motivation to keep both her academics and athletics at an excellent level. Her ability to handle pressure and stay the course has come in handy on the golf course before.
“During her state play, she had two difficult holes that quickly escalated her score,” said Mr. Hamilton. “However, she wasn’t fazed by those difficulties, and her coach kept encouraging her to keep swinging and following her drills. Several other parents and coaches told us that they can’t believe how she held things together and her game together after two disaster holes.”
It takes more than athletic talent to win a community service award of this magnitude. It takes love and dedication to the community one is in. Hamilton displays just that. Her father said that her involvement in community events is a “taught behavior” from their family’s Christian faith.
“(Our faith) teaches us to serve others before self and find ways in making sure we honor that principle,” said Mr. Hamilton. “Both my wife and I were both taught that by our parents, and we have carried that on down to our own two children.”
Hamilton specifically loves working with younger children and serves as a volunteer leader at a Summer Connect camp.
Both Hamilton and her family are honored to accept the award, but know it takes a village to succeed in anything in life.
“As Christians, we accept recognition, but we quickly acknowledge that positive things happen when placing and maintaining our priorities in order: faith, family, friends, fun. This order allows for special things to happen,” said Mr. Hamilton.
Congratulations to Hannah Hamilton, winner of the ITG Next 2021-22 Georgia Community Involvement Award, presented by Crisp Regional Health Services.
Written by: Kennedie Weems
