Burke signs with Arkansas State
Kayla Burke and her family gathered at Centennial Monday morning as the Lookout Point member signed a letter of intent to play scholarship golf at Arkansas State University.
Kayla Burke took a load off her shoulders Monday.
In front of her parents (Krista and Ken), grandparents (Ken and Gail Burke) and sister Ashley, the Grade 12 Centennial student signed a letter of intent to attend the University of Arkansas State on a NCAA Division 1 golf scholarship.
“It’s a lot of pressure not knowing where you want to go to school next year, especially when your are in Grade 12,” she said. “When you are getting to that point where it is coming soon, it kind of all adds up and you are worried about your actual school and schoolwork that you are missing because you are going open houses.
“It’s a lot to go through with sending emails and putting yourself out there.”
It will also take the pressure off of next summer’s golfing season.
“I am going to play the (Ontario) juniors again and my goal is to make the cut for Canadians,” the Lookout Point member said. “Next year, won’t be so chaotic because I don’t have to put my name out there and play all the big tournaments. I can still play the tournaments I want to play, but it won’t be as crazy.”
This past summer, the 17-year-old had a career-best tie for 13th at the Ontario junior championships and shot a season’s best round of 34-36-70 to win the 69th Walt McCollum Niagara District Champions of Champions golf tournament by nine strokes. It was her second Champions titles and her winning score was 30 strokes better than when she last won in 2013.
Burke realized she had a chance to play scholarship golf in the States when she started to train in Mississauga with Ann Carroll.
“It is a bit of a drive to go see her, but it is totally worth it,” she said. “She has definitely changed my whole golf game around, she knows a lot of coaches and she helped me get this opportunity.”
The Port Colborne trains every Sunday and every second Friday with Carroll.
Burke also credits the Niagara Junior Golf Tour with aiding her to achieve her goals in golf.
“It really helped me as a junior to understand the game of golf and to make a lot of friends,” she said. “It’s a perfect place to start because you are getting in rounds.”
The junior tour was the start and her signing Monday was another beginning.
“I was a little nervous, I’m not going to lie, but it’s very exciting at the same time,” she said. “I’m thrilled to begin the next chapter.”
Burke only looked at one other school before choosing Arkansas State.
“It (other school) didn’t have the same feeling,” she said. “It’s a feeling that you can describe, but I am happy to say I am a Red Wolf.”
Arkansas State in Jonesboro, Ark., was the only school she visited and she fell in love with the school right away.
“It was the coach and the team itself at first,” she said. “The coach FaceTimed me when we first met and I thought that was really important and we had a great conversation.”
Things got better on her official visit.
“I met all the girls on the team and they were nice and very welcoming and we went to the football game as well,” she said. “It was nice to see the school spirit and the community that the school is in is a small town. I come from a small town so it’s very homey.”
The Red Wolves play in the Sun Belt Conference and compete in five tournaments in the fall and four in the spring. The 2018-19 rosters includes two seniors and three freshmen.
“For next year, there will be 10 girls on the team and they take five (to tournaments),” she said. “I feel that I fit right in there. I still obviously have to work for a spot but I will be playing golf next year.”
