Gam Songprasert Receives WGCA Division II Kim Moore Spirit Award

CORAL SPRINGS, Florida (June 1, 2023) – Gam Songprasert, sophomore at West Texas A&M University has received the 2023 Women’s Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) Division II Kim Moore Spirit Award.

Acceptance Video - https://vimeo.com/832273116/6c54fc271f

This award is dedicated to Kim Moore, who played golf for the University of Indianapolis (1999-2003).  Kim was an inspiration to all as she persevered through many physical challenges while playing collegiate golf.  Her positive outlook and dedication toward the game was only out done by her sense of humor and passion for the game.

The purpose of the award is to recognize and honor a student-athlete or coach who exemplifies a great spirit toward the game of golf, a positive attitude on and off the golf course, a role model for her team and mental toughness in facing challenges.

In 2019, Gam was diagnosed with systemic lupus eruthematosus, more commonly known as Lupus. Although not a death sentence, Lupus affects every aspect of life as there is no cure, only treatments. There would likely be times she could not play due to extreme sun sensitivity, joint pain and bruising.  Prior to this diagnosis, Gam dreamed of being a professional golfer, however, with this diagnosis, she set those dreams aside.

Despite the long list of symptoms and treatments for her disease, one would never know what Gam has dealt with and continues to deal with every day. She is the kindest and most thoughtful player on her team. She is the first to ask how others are doing and offer help whenever there is an opportunity. Her smile is infectious, and her high fives are distributed faster than anyone else’s. 

2020 was a challenging year for so many incoming student-athletes who had to navigate such uncharted waters. Gam’s proved to be full of more adversity than normalcy. Not only did she have to process the unexpected death of her mother, but she also had to choose between attending her mother’s funeral and her visa appointment, as they were the same day. Her application for an emergency visa appointment was declined, and she was assigned a visa appointment in October, two months after the intended start of the semester. 

Gam has been a quiet, yet powerful, leader on our team since she arrived in August of 2021. She has the best attitude on the course, and her teammates have begun to emulate her mental approach and acceptance of the game regardless of scores. As a freshman in 2021-22 she earned WGCA First-Team All-American honors, won her first tournament, led the team to four wins, and set many new records including the most par or better rounds in program history with 34. As a sophomore, she has led the team to four victories, including being the medalist at The Rattler Invitational shooting -2 over three rounds.

About the Women’s Golf Coaches Association
The Women’s Golf Coaches Association, founded in 1983, is a non-profit organization representing women’s collegiate golf coaches. The WGCA was formed to encourage the playing of college golf for women in correlation with a general objective of education and in accordance with the highest tradition of intercollegiate competition. Today, the WGCA represents over 700 coaches throughout the U.S. and is dedicated to educating, promoting and recognizing both its members and the student-athletes they represent.