Q&A: On winning at golf, and losing a father
By Samuel Rosario for Goshen Commons
An interview with Ben John Pollitt, a golfer from England. Pollitt is a sophomore at Goshen College. He was the lone golfer on the men’s team a year ago when intercollegiate golf returned to Goshen College. He described his best athletic moment as “winning a matchplay tournament at my club after giving my opponent 28 shots in 18 holes.”
Q: What brings you to Goshen College?
A: I went through a company that tries to find you a sports scholarship and Goshen was one of the colleges that offer one. The coach was very forthcoming, I could ask him any question and he would answer almost immediately, when other schools took weeks to answer.
Q: What are some differences that you have observed between America and England?
A: The sense of community. People are a lot friendlier than they are back home. Another weird thing for me is that in America you can turn on a red light, when in England you need to stop… you can’t do that.
Q: Do you think your accent has opened doors here in America in any way?
A: I guess it has given me more leeway with professors. Like, if I am late with something they don’t give me as big of a punishment.
Q: What is one thing that you cherish the most about England?
A: My little sister. I had to be a father for her, because we lost our dad a couple of years ago. She is always saying when is “my Ben” coming home, instead of “When’s Ben coming home?”
Q: How did your father pass away?
A: Motorcycle accident, when I was 18 years old.
Q: What are some things that you miss the most about your father?
A: He was my guiding light. When he was alive, before I did something I would ask myself “Will my dad do this?” Now, I just go ahead and do things that sometimes I regret.
Q: What things do you regret?
A: Right now? Smoking. That’s probably my only one. I feel like I disappoint my dad every time I do it.
Q: What is the last thing that you remember your dad saying?
A: That’s awkward, because the last conversation that I had with him was an argument about money. The day that he died I was supposed to buy my mom a birthday present. I only had 20 pounds left and he was disappointed about that. So he said: “I am going to leave before I say something that I regret.” Afterwards, I waited for him to come home but he never did. I play this argument over and over again in my head.
>> Read the rest of this article on the Goshen Commons website.