Could I play competitive golf at the highest level and be a good mom? Stacy Lewis asked herself this question after finding out she was pregnant with her daughter Chesnee. In an open letter to her daughter, Lewis shares about her journey from golf to motherhood. She went from only being focused on her golf game, professional career and self to finding a deeper sense of purpose in life. Chesnee gave Lewis a new reason to push through even when her back is up against the wall.
Lewis played golf up until she was eight months pregnant, but only played in tournaments until she reached her six-month mark. Many may have considered this to be challenging on the body, yet it wasn’t until after Lewis gave birth that the real challenges came. When Lewis began to train post-pregnancy, she came to the realization that although she was ready to play golf again, she needed to allow her body time to heal. Less than three months after having her daughter, Lewis was back on the golf course competing in the LPGA Tour for the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions where she placed sixth overall.
The return back to competitive golf for Lewis was not easy as she adjusted to being a new mom. From being a first-time mother to dealing with the changes in her body Lewis had to learn to be patient with herself and just focus on the task at hand to avoid getting overwhelmed. Throughout the letter to her daughter Lewis reflects on what it means to be a mom from the good, the bad and in between. Lewis credits the sport of golf for teaching her values such as sportsmanship, how to win and lose with grace, hard work, humility, honesty, perseverance, and other life skills that she hopes to pass to her daughter. Throughout the letter, Lewis discusses some things that many in our GladiatHER community can relate to, whether you are a working professional or athlete journeying into motherhood or any individual working through transition and change.
In her final thoughts in the letter to her daughter Chesnee, Lewis writes “you weren’t an afterthought to my career, you were a part of my career. I want to show you that you can have a voice, that you can be a leader, that you can have a family. And that having a kid is not a bad thing for your career.” True words to be shared not only with Chesnee but with women everywhere!
To read the full letter from Lewis, click the link below: https://www.espn.com/espnw/voices/story/_/id/26994275/dear-chesnee-lpga-tour-golfer-stacy-lewis-pens-letter-young-daughter
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