Kyle Barthelmy at The Bridge during our fundraising outing in August 2016. He says his iron play is the strongest part of his golf game.
Every month we are interviewing one of the young men in our After School program. This month we meet Kyle Barthelmy.
Tell us about your family and other important people in your life.
My family and I are very close. There are five of us: my mom and dad, one older sister, one younger sister, and myself. We’re always there for each other. When somebody feels bad or down, we cheer them up.
What is your favorite subject in school, and why?
My favorite subject is science. In our Earth Science class we have been learning about dinosaurs and the fossil record. There are many types of fossils, and paleontologists can use carbon dating to estimate how old they are. I am also interested in astronomy. We are learning about gravitational pull, and how the Earth always stays in the sun’s orbit because of the speed at which it moves.
What do you want to be when you grow up, and why?
I’m not entirely sure yet. I am still deciding between becoming an architect, joining the Air Force, or playing football professionally. Ever since I was young and would play with blocks, I’ve been interested in building things. For example, the idea that the size of a building’s foundation can affect how stable the building is fascinates me.
I also love airplanes, especially fighter jets like the F-22 and the F-16. It amazes me how you can be up so high in the sky, and how you can move at speeds that most other people could only dream of – and protect people at the same time. And a football career would be great because I just like football. I play defensive back and wide receiver.
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?
My favorite activity has been the work we do with 3D modeling. I like it because it can help me with architecture; I can make a model of a building, use the Foundation’s 3D printer, see how it looks, and figure out what changes I need to make to improve the design. I’m gaining a better understanding of buildings and how 3D printers work. We’ve had the printer at the Foundation for a few months, but I’m still learning how to use it to its full capacity. It’s a very complex machine that will have a lot of uses in the future.
Do you have a preference between playing individual or team sports?
I prefer team sports. They’re more fun and you don’t have to rely only on yourself in games; there are other people there to help you out.
Which section of the program has been your favorite so far? Do any particular lessons stand out in your memory?
I would say that golf has been my favorite section. In one lesson about a month ago, Walter Kim taught us that you don’t have to use a lot of power to move the ball very far. You just need to have the sweet spot of the club make solid contact with the ball. That day I hit a personal best for distance with the 8 iron – 160 yards.
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.
I really liked our trip to Camp Getaway in August. We made Jeffrey and the staff proud when we broke records for some of the team-building exercises they have there. We had to build a bridge, with very few instructions, and we figured it out almost completely on our own. It took us 3-5 minutes to complete the task, something that no other group has ever done there. I think we were able to accomplish it because we do a lot of work on team-building and we give a lot of presentations, so we have a lot of practice working on our communication skills.
What’s the strongest part of your golf game right now?
I would say hitting with the irons. I do a good job of keeping the ball trajectory straight ahead, and have the ball carry for long distances.
What is one fact that nobody in our program knows about you?
I don’t think there really is any one thing. I tell everybody a lot about my life.
Favorite sports teams/athletes/video games?
My favorite football teams and players: Seattle Seahawks – Richard Sherman, Doug Baldwin; Green Bay Packers – Clay Matthews. I like sports video games: Madden, NBA Live, etc.
We have covered a lot of ground in Character Education/Service Learning this year. Can you give any examples of how it has impacted you as an individual in our program and in your daily life?
Individually, the lessons have taught me to be more aware. They show how certain actions can make people think of you in different ways, either good or bad. I’ve learned that if you donate your resources or time, then you can consider yourself a philanthropist.