The562’s coverage of Long Beach golf is sponsored by Dan and Desiree Gooch.
The562’s coverage of St. Anthony athletics is sponsored by Jane & B.I. Mais, Class of 1948
Victoria Valenzuela is growing into a renaissance woman. She has a wide range of interests and seems to be succeeding in every field.
The St. Anthony High School senior golfer is also an accomplished musician who volunteers her time to worthy causes across the city.
Earlier this month, Valenzuela won her second consecutive Long Beach Golf Festival 2024 Crosby Junior Golf Championships at Recreation Park Golf Course.
We talked to Valenzuela about how staying busy has helped her reach her goals on and off the course.
QUESTION: Why did you enter this LB Golf Fest event again after winning it last year?
ANSWER: I think Long Beach is just such an important place for me. I love to represent. It’s just a great opportunity to put myself out there in the golf community, as well as just Long Beach itself.
Q: Is this event different from others you’ve entered?
A: Since the Long Beach community is so tight knit, everyone who was in it kind of knows each other so that was great. It’s a great experience to get to see people who I played against in High school and then seeing them in the summer.
Q: Does that familiarity make you more or less competitive?
A: I think it makes me more competitive. I’m a very competitive person in general. It’s always friendly competition, but you want to win.
Q: Do you like playing Big Rec golf course?
A: I grew up on that course so it’s pretty familiar. Some of my very best rounds when I was (younger) were there. Like with USGLL team golf when I was 7-8. It’s great to play that course because it’s like home to me.
Q: Does the course fit your game?
A: Yardage is a big thing for me. I’ve gained a lot of yardage. Since this is kind of a shorter park style course I’m a bee to maneuver my way around more freely. That gives me the opportunity to put myself in good positions.
Q: How did you get more distance?
A: Over the past year I’ve gone through a lot of swing changes. I also played beach volleyball for my school and I was training a lot during the spring season. It helped me a lot because I was getting to work out doing another sport while still getting to play golf. It really helped me get stronger. I love that I’m going to continue to keep doing it.
Q: How did your tournament-wining round go?
A: I had an okay round going, definitely wasn’t my strongest, and then I kind of turned it around on the back nine and that’s kind of what secured me the win. I birdied the second par 5 on the front nine. That’s kind of what turned the round around. Once you get that good hold you can get locked in and get back in it. I played that hole really well, I had maybe a 7-foot birdie putt.
Q: Do you watch the scoreboard while you’re playing?
A: I try not to know, and I do better not knowing. I had no clue of anyone else’s score. I actually had to go to work after (the round) so I left. My grandpa (Lou Valenzuela) called me because he was still there. I was shocked. I genuinely had no clue. Getting that win, I haven’t had any big wins over the last couple months due to swing changes, so it was great having that feeling of winning again.
Q: Where do you work?
A: I volunteer at LB Memorial in the music therapy program and with an adaptive fitness program in Los Al for adults with special needs… I love what I do and I’m glad I’m able to have opportunities to do everything. It’s great to have that well rounded experience and to have the support system that allows me to do that. I still do open mic in Seal Beach every week… I just get involved in everything I possibly can.
