My love for fishing didn’t begin in a bass boat.

Growing up in Cartersville, Georgia, some of my favorite memories were spent outdoors with my dad. We fished anywhere we could, from neighborhood ponds and farm lakes to rivers and the Gulf Coast. For years, most of our fishing happened from a tandem kayak or whatever boat we had available. We weren’t chasing trophies or tournament points. We were simply making memories together and enjoying God’s creation.

One thing that surprises people is that my dad had never fished a bass tournament in his life. He introduced me to the outdoors, but tournament fishing was something we would discover together.

At the end of my sixth-grade year, I asked him if we could start fishing youth bass tournaments. We quickly learned our only boat, a 16-foot jet skiff, wasn’t legal because it didn’t have a livewell and Jets were not allowed. Buying a bass boat wasn’t something our family was prepared to do, so we weren’t sure what the next step looked like.

That’s when God provided in a way we’ll never forget.

Our family attended church with Brent and Lisa Lovett. Brent’s father, Mr. Wayne Lovett, had recently passed away, leaving behind his yellow Triton bass boat. My dad called Brent to see if the family might consider selling it. After talking with his sister, Paula Walker, and her husband, Lance, Brent called back with an answer that changed my life. They decided there would be no better way to honor Mr. Wayne’s legacy than to help a young angler get started. Rather than simply selling the boat, they trusted our family to use it. The boat stayed at our house, giving us complete access to learn, practice, and prepare. Brent volunteered many weekends to captain tournaments and share his experience, while my dad and I spent countless hours together figuring everything else out. We learned how to rig tackle, study maps, maintain a bass boat, and eventually compete against some of the best young anglers in the country.

In many ways, we grew into tournament fishing together.

As I got older, my dad began teaching me how to trailer, launch, and safely operate the boat on my own. When I turned fifteen, he purchased that same yellow Triton from Brent and Paula so I could continue developing in the boat that had become such an important part of our family's journey.

Looking back, I realize the greatest gift wasn't the boat itself. It was the opportunity. The Lovett family and my dad each played a different role in making that opportunity possible, and I'm grateful for every one of them.

Tournament fishing has since taken me to lakes across the Southeast and introduced me to lifelong friends, mentors, and experiences I never imagined as a kid fishing from a kayak. Along the way I've learned that success isn't just about catching fish. It's about preparation, perseverance, humility, and representing the people who have invested in you.

Today I'm proud to attend the University of West Alabama, where I'm pursuing a degree in Business Administration while competing for the UWA Bass Fishing Team. My goal is to continue growing as both an angler and a person while pursuing my dream of fishing professionally.

My faith in Jesus Christ is the foundation of everything I do. It influences how I compete, how I treat others, and how I represent my family, university, sponsors, and the sport of bass fishing. No matter where this journey leads, I hope people remember me more for my character than my tournament finishes.

One day, I hope to do for another young angler what others did for me, open a door that changes the course of a life.

"To Be Continued..."