By Kyle Balzer (Contributor) – Email
Print Edition: October 31, 2012
Aaron Pauls is a fourth-year student at UFV going for his degree in Kinesiology. Originally from Chilliwack and a graduate of Sardis Secondary school, Aaron has generated a new image for UFV’s varsity golf program. He led his team to the 2012 PACWEST Championship and was named an All-Canadian at the National Tournament in Oshawa, Ontario.
You were named an All-Canadian Athlete for 2012 and the only one selected from UFV. How does it feel to receive this honour by the CCAA? Describe what it means to you.
It means a lot to be named an All-Canadian Athlete; it means that I was one of the top performers in Canada through our regular season. Personally, it’s a great feat for me! Since my time here at UFV no other teammate of mine has won this award, so it’s special.
You finished second in the individual scoring for the PACWEST division, which included a win at the UFV Invitational, averaging a round of 72.9. What was the key to your success this season? Name a part of your game that made you stand out from the rest of the field.
I was successful this season because of my mentality going into the season. Most guys can put together a good round, but being able to put together multiple good rounds takes patience. I was able to be patient even though sometimes it was a great struggle.
Talk about your time at the Nationals. What did you think of your team’s performance playing against the best in the nation?
Our time at Nationals was a great disappointment especially coming off a big comeback to win our league a week before. I’m not sure one guy on our team played a round of golf they were satisfied with while we were in Oshawa. Coming in ranked second in the country to finish eighth with no real chance after our hiccup on day one, sucked.
What are your thoughts on the overall season?
I have an overall positive feeling on this season. Of course the way it ended at Nationals left a sour taste, but in the end we won a provincial title and hanging up a banner in the school gym is always a good feeling!
Comment on your coach Chris Bertram. What do you think of his coaching style now that you’ve been playing for four years with him? How has he helped you develop your game?
Chris is a great guy and he knows when to take things seriously, but he also knows the importance of fun/celebration. That is something I admire about Chris because golf is a game where you’re not always going to have “it.” He understands that guys play hard for him and sometimes it’s just not going to go their way. Chris has helped me develop my game by teaching me the importance of proper practice and mental preparation. He does a lot of research on these topics and he’s able to share it with me and our team.
Do you think you’ll be back for next season? What does your future in golf look like?
I am most likely going to be back for another season. I am still working on my degree and would like to complete it before I move on in life. As far as my future in golf, I haven’t fully decided what my plans are down the road. I would like to play professional golf and see how I fare, but I’ll have to wait until the time comes and make my decision.
