On May 5 the Student Leadership Council and The Office of Student Life and Leadership presented the Student Leadership Awards to outstanding PVCC students at the Annual Student Recognition Celebration. This year, Puma Athletics had the honor of recognizing three outstanding student-athletes as Golden Puma recipients. The honorees of this distinguished award included sophomore Amy Bockerstette of the Puma Golf team.
The Golden Puma Distinguished Student Leadership Award, the highest bestowed upon PVCC students annually, recognizes model students who have integrated academic excellence with achievement in areas such as leadership, athletics, community service, fine and performing arts, entrepreneurship and career achievement.
Amy Bockerstette is a 2018 graduate of Sandra Day O'Connor High School and came to PVCC in Fall 2018 to join the Golf program. Amy competed in both the 2019 and 2020 golf seasons and due to the COVID shutdown of athletics during her sophomore season in Spring 2020, she was able to return to PVCC to compete with the team in Spring 2021.
Amy is a student-athlete and disabilities advocate with Down syndrome. She is the first person with Down syndrome to receive an athletic scholarship to attend college and to compete for an intercollegiate athletics program.
Amy gained national acclaim in January 2019 when video of her appearance with PGA star Gary Woodland at the 2019 Waste Management Phoenix Open's 16th hole went viral. Amy has since made numerous appearances such as The Today Show, Golf Channel, ESPN and local media. She was also appointed to a two-year term on the United States President's Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition. Amy is one of 29 people to receive the appointment, many of them prominent athletes.
Amy and her family have tirelessly worked with and championed the Down syndrome community, both locally and nationally. They started the I Got This Foundation in 2019 which provides golf instruction, playing opportunities, and organized events, and strives to teach people with Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities to play golf, paving the way for them to compete in leagues with typical peers, join high school teams and even obtain athletic college scholarships.
Amy just finished the 2021 golf regular season and is preparing with her teammates to travel to Florida for the NJCAA Women's Golf National Championship May 10-14.
Well done Amy!
You can view the awards show HERE
