Tariq Washington, center, hit the shot of the day during our par-3 tournament at The Bridge last summer.
Every month, we are interviewing one of the young men in our After School program. This month we meet 9th-grader Tariq Washington.
Tell us about your family and other important people in your life.
I live in Newark with my mother, my stepfather, my older brother (19), and my little sister (1). I’m close to my brother. People say that we look alike, but I don’t see it. I’m also close to my biological father. He doesn’t live with me, but I’m still close to him. We go to movies and hang out. It’s important because not a lot of people get that. And a lot of the people who do take it for granted.
What is your favorite subject in school, and why?
Propaganda and Censorship. It’s an elective about how people hide the truth or information from the public. I like the teacher and the books we have read so far: “The Wave” by Todd Strasser and “A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry. In “The Wave,” a high school history teacher conducts an experiment as part of a lesson about Nazi Germany, but it goes wrong when his students become violent. I learned that history can and does repeat itself. Knowing this lesson, I realize it’s important to speak up when I see something that’s wrong.
What do you want to be when you grow up, and why?
I want to restore and sell houses in the suburbs (Long Island). My mother used to watch shows about houses on HGTV, and it seemed interesting. I like seeing things get fixed up and changed for the better. I don’t know much about fixing up houses, but I do know how to use a tape measure and a hammer, so I’ve got a chance.
What is your favorite part of what we do at The Bridge Golf Foundation? How do you think it will prepare you for the future? Do any particular lessons stand out in your memory?
My favorite part is Character Education because it teaches us how to become better people in life. We talk about integrity, or doing what’s right even when no one is looking. We come to The Bridge and learn a lot of things, but when we’re outside of the Foundation, we are still representing what it stands for, even though no one is there to tell us what to do.
Besides golf, what other sports do you enjoy playing? Do you have a preference between playing individual or team sports?
Besides golf, I enjoy playing basketball. I used to prefer individual sports because you don’t have to rely on anyone else to win. Also, you don’t have to deal with ball hogs or people who aren’t team players. But I’ve changed my mind. Now, I think that if the sport matters enough to people, they will be team players and will work with their teammates to win games.
What is your favorite trip since joining the program? We’ve traveled to a lot of great places – The Bridge in Bridgehampton, PGA Championship, USGA Museum and Test Center, City College, Camp Getaway, etc.
Going to The Bridge. We got to play a little golf. I think it was the first time I had ever been to a golf course.
What’s the strongest part of your golf game right now?
My long game. I can hit the ball a good distance. My longest shot is 210 yards with a driver, but my favorite club is the 3-wood. During this summer’s par-3 tournament at The Bridge, I got a birdie and beat one of the course pros.
What is one fact that nobody in our program knows about you?
Not everyone knows that I’m the middle child in my family. I keep a low profile, I’m responsible (I have to change my little sister’s diapers and clean the house), and I don’t ask for help. I like to figure things out on my own.
Favorite sports teams/athletes/video games?
Indiana Pacers; Paul George, Kobe Bryant; NBA 2K17 and Destiny for Xbox.
What is the best thing about being a kid? The hardest?
I don’t have too many responsibilities. I can mostly do what I want to do. I can’t really think of what’s hard about being a kid.