Kick. Punch. Block.
Those aren’t the phrases typically used when someone refers to Seaholm’s best golfers. But for senior golfer Ali Restaino, those are phrases with which she is very familiar.
Despite the fact that Restaino is known around school for being big on golfing, there is something else she was very into at one point in her life: karate.
“My parents forced me to do it,” Restaino said. “They wanted me to do some extracurricular activities.”
However, karate wasn’t always something Restaino looked forward to doing.
“I hated it, at the beginning,” Restaino recalled. “It was so boring and I didn’t like the outfit.”
In time, Restaino said she grew fond of the newfound activity, and within six years, Restaino received her black belt.
The Karate Studio owner, Peter Malota said in an email to the Highlander that anyone who receives a black belt is a very dedicated individual.
“The students that start as a white belt and reach black belt status is less than three percent,” Malota said.
Karate, however, was not the only thing to which Restaino was dedicated.
Restaino was one of the Seaholm golf team’s most valued leaders and players.
“Each year she has been one of the leaders on the course as well in the classroom,” said Leon Braisted, the girls and boys golf coach in an email to the Highlander.
Braisted said that any member of the Seaholm Golf Team that has been on varsity for four years has an award named after them.
Restaino especially impacted the thoughts of freshman Catherine Young.
“She really opened up to everyone that was on the team, and to me especially because I was new,” Young said.
Restaino’s golfing experience and karate experience have already taken two separate paths.
“I will be playing golf in college,” Restaino declared.
Alongside Restaino’s plan to play golf for Butler University, she also has decided to major within pharmaceutical area.
Restaino said she is very excited, and this is what she’s always wanted, to play golf in college.
“And I have no regrets,” Restaino said. “Only that maybe I should have started to play golf earlier on in life but maybe I wouldn’t have worked as hard as I did to get to where I am today.”
