Everyone eventually finds their talent in life. Some find it quicker than others.
Crawfordsville girls golfer Emery Allen is in her first official season with CHS. The sophomore has provided the Athenians with a boost on the course.
However, Allen’s talent goes beyond the golf course. She found her calling as a singer-songwriter a long time ago. Allen has already used her talent to venture to New York City and Nashville, Tennessee.
Allen also has performed at many local events including the Strawberry Festival, Taste of Montgomery County and for the Montgomery County Youth Service Bureau. She’s sung the national anthem at Indiana Pacer and Fever games, performed at the Indiana State Museum and Indiana Beach.
“My singing career really got started when I was six years old,” Allen said. “I was in a community production of Charlotte’s Web and my love for theater just took off from there. After that I joined a singing group and really found out that’s where my true passion was.
“It’s all been about taking what I’ve done in the past and really using those experiences and using each one as a stepping stone for the next one. I’ve now discovered that being a singer and songwriter is what I want to do.”
Allen has produced and written around 360 of her own original songs to date.
One may be thinking with being a high school golfer and being at practice every day, along with being a high school student, how in the world does Allen find the time to first write they lyrics to her songs, but then pull out her guitar and put music to it? It’s not an easy task whatsoever, but she is able to find time to do it, even if that means waking up in the middle of the night.
“It might be like 3 a.m. some nights when I just jump out of bed because I just thought of a song,” Allen said. “Right then and there I’ll pull out my computer and my guitar and go to work. I might wake up in the morning and try to remember if I wrote this or not. Since I’m passionate about music I always find time for it. Before coming to the county meet this past week, I was playing my guitar for hours on end.”
Allen has also displayed her talents on the course this season for CHS. At the conference meet last Saturday, Allen fired a personal best of 91 to earn a spot on the All-SAC first team.
Crawfordsville coach Tony Thomas immediately took notice of Allen this off-season when she was out almost every day at the Muni working to get better at her game.
“Emery has a very positive outlook on life,” Thomas said. “With her singing background she’s used to being in front of plenty of people, so I don’t think she ever goes into a meet nervous.
“I’ve known Emery for a while because her grandparents are our next-door neighbors. Overall, she’s really brought a nice breath of fresh air to the team this year. She’s the type of person that when she commits to something, she’s going to see it through.”
Allen has watched her older brother Nolan golf with the Mounties and now at St. Mary’s of the Woods. Her interest in the sport really piqued during the recent global pandemic.
“I got a golf set when COVID happened because I was really looking for something to do since I couldn’t sing or perform as much as I was used to,” Allen said. “Obviously having my older brother golf helped along the way. I really didn’t take golf seriously up until this season when I started to play here at Crawfordsville. I like to think of playing golf as that break that I need from music every now and then.”
Allen took every opportunity to be out on the golf course this summer, working with Thomas and getting acquainted with her new teammates. Once Allen got the green light from her home school, Indiana Connections Academy, it was full steam ahead to prepare for the beginning of the season.
“There was a lot of paperwork involved early on with getting her transferred over here, but once I got the green light from Bryce (Barton) we were able to practice with her officially,” Thomas said. “Emery and Nancy (Blanchard) were probably out on the course together more than anyone this summer. They immediately clicked with each other. You can certainly see the improvement that Emery has made in her game this season. I’m really looking forward to having her the next two years.”
Allen and the rest of the Athenian golf team still have at least one more meet on the schedule when they tee off Saturday at the sectional at Harrison Hills in Attica. The Athenians are looking to be one of the three teams to advance to the regional. If Allen shoots well enough, she could also make it out as an individual.
No matter what happens, Crawfordsville girls golf has someone who can entertain them on bus rides for the next two years.
