Carrollton, GA – You never know what you will find in the midst of a detour. For West Georgia standout Bryn Powers, his detour has now become a focal point for his collegiate career.
When he was younger, Powers was interested in basketball but grew up loving baseball. He was a solid, multi-faceted kid who played shortstop, second base, and pitcher. However, in eighth grade a knee problem arose that brought an end to his contact sport career.
Instead of giving up on sports altogether, Powers took a detour into golf and has not looked back.
Becoming a golfer was a good move for Powers because he was picked to attend the South/Southeast Super-Regional tournament on May 3-5, 2010 in Wilson, North Carolina. During the first two rounds at Regional competition, Powers played exceptionally well and remained in the top 10. He finished the tournament in a tie for 25th place. If it wasn’t for his parents he would not be where he is today in golf.
“My parents always supported me throughout my golf career. They also made sure if I wanted to play in a tournament that the right papers were signed and that it happened,” states Powers. If he played tournaments close-by, his parents were always there to show support.
Many athletes at the University of West Georgia are far from home. But some, like Powers, are local, as he attended Central High School in Carrollton, Ga. Being a student at West Georgia and attending a local high school has been a positive aspect to Powers’ life.
“I was glad that I did not have to move away or readjust to an unfamiliar city,” said Powers. “I know the area and the campus pretty well and that has helped me to be much more focused on golf and on my academics.”
The academic side has been just fine for Powers, as he finished his second year at West Georgia with a 3.65 GPA as a Pre-Med/Chemistry major. He has aspirations of becoming a radiologist when his collegiate career is over.
“I like working with puzzles and problem solving,” says Powers. “A radiologist has the opportunity to look at scans and determine what is wrong with the puzzle, so I think that will fit for me.”
Powers plans on spending this summer shadowing a local radiologist as well as volunteering at Tanner Medical Center to see if radiology will be that perfect fit for his career.
His talents do not stop here. Playing guitar has become a passion for Powers recently, as he has been teaching himself for the past six months.
“I love all kinds of music and I wanted to try to learn to play,” said Powers. “I’ve been trying to teach myself and learning through watching lessons on Youtube and have gotten pretty good at it.”
Powers will play anything but he really enjoys playing country. He recently bought an electric guitar and would like to start playing with his church band if he continues practicing.
In addition to golf, school and guitar lessons, Powers is also a member of the West Georgia Student Athletic Council (SAC) and the Wolves Athletic Men’s Organization (WAMO) at West Georgia. He attends and is an active member of Old Camp United Methodist Church, with one of his greatest thrills coming each year as help helps out with the annual church barbeque.
The interesting thing about detours is that they still get you to where you want to go, but not necessarily in the way that you had originally intended.