By Esther Cui

   Tempe Preparatory Academy senior Jay Nergard has secured a prestigious spot to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Not only that, Jay has also been admitted to this prestigious university with an NAIA Scholarship for golf, which awards $7,000 to the scholarship athletes. 

   This achievement proves his dedication to both athletic and academic pursuits. Jay’s ambition for a career in aviation aligns seamlessly with his passion for golf, making Embry-Riddle the perfect school for him to attend. 

   Jay has played in vast amounts of competitions and, with rigorous practice, he qualified for the 2022 Drive, Chip and Putt competition at Augusta National, in Georgia. Eigthy junior golfers representing their states have earned invitations to compete at the tournament. Jay represented Tempe Prep in the national competition as the 2022 National Finalist. 

   His training regime consisted of “practicing all parts of my game for three hours minimum on weekdays, more on weekends,” Jay said. 

   Jay’s passion and practice paid off. 

   “Hard work and practice got me this scholarship,” he says. His advice to aspiring athletes is: “After you are done practicing, keep practicing.” This straightforward mantra encapsulates his continuous improvement and his pursuit of excellence. 

   He additionally notes something else that helped him secure his scholarship was that he emailed coaches a lot. Success requires frequent communication. 

   Jay’s present goals are to compete at an even higher level and qualify for high-level events in golf. 

   Good luck, Jay, to both your golf and aviation pursuits.