Nov. 13, 2013
Rene Sobolewski is a senior from Buffalo, N.Y., and a member of the Vanderbilt women’s golf team.
Why did you get involved with golf?
Buffalo winters are long but people can’t seem to give up golf, so the golf dome becomes extremely popular. When I was about 5, my dad and brother dragged me along while they took lessons. My dad had a club cut down to my size, so at the end of their lessons I’d always hit a couple balls and work on basic fundamentals. Eventually five minutes here and there turned into 15 minutes and eventually my own lesson. When the weather broke around June, we started to go out on the course, and I fell in love with the game.
How did you end up at Vanderbilt?
I always liked the idea of being on a beautiful campus in the heart of Nashville, at a school with the strongest balance of top academics and athletics. Because I hadn’t gotten a response from the coaches, I decided to come play a junior tournament here and hoped to attract their attention. I got paired with my now current teammate Kendall Martindale who they were aggressively recruiting and ended up playing relatively well. When I got home, I finally got the nerve to give coach a call, but he didn’t answer. I called back to write down the number he left on his voicemail, but he happened to answer. I was caught so off guard and stumbled over my words until we ended up bonding over our love for ice cream. Surprisingly, at the end of the call, he asked me to come for an official visit. The next month, we took down a boatload of sushi (literally), followed it up with some ice cream and knew it was a match made in heaven.
First album you ever purchased?
Backstreet Boys “Millennium”
Biggest fear?
I am terrified of bees. My reaction is so obnoxious and embarrassing when one is buzzing around me.
Furthest you’ve been from home?
Tanzania, Africa this summer when I went on the Vanderbilt student-athlete service trip with Soles4Souls. It was one of the best experiences of my life, and I highly recommend it if Vanderbilt offers it again. (I hope they do!)
Plane tickets to anywhere. Where would you travel?
Having seen so many pictures from people studying abroad, I want to go everywhere. To name a few: France, so that I can use my French minor and eventually become fluent, Australia, Italy, Greece and of course, Poland.
Name one of your talents outside of sports?
I can unicycle!
Can you cook? Best dish?
Recently I have been attempting to learn how to cook. I’m definitely not good yet, but I can make some killer scrambled eggs, a decent stir-fry and the best Ramen Noodles you’ve ever tasted.
Behind the V Archive
Bowling: Nicole Mosesso
Ticket Office: Eric Jones
Compliance: George Midgett
