Kyla Burns will attend and play soccer at Temple University. (Photo courtesy of ENYYSA)
Kyla Burns has been awarded Patricia Louise Masotto and Brenda Driscoll Scholarship by Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association.
The award is based on success in high school as well as community service.
In her scholarship essay, Burns wrote that “I’m not sure what my life would look like without soccer, and I don’t think that I’d want to see it. After 14 years of different teammates, coaches and experiences, I have friends all over the East Coast. The relationships I’ve made through the game is something I wouldn’t trade for anything.”
In the East Hudson Youth Soccer League, Burns played for the Kingston Flames, Red Hook Rain and Red Hook Heatwave as well as the East Hudson Academy. She also competed for the Olympic Development Program for Eastern New York.
“I had been lucky enough to have my dad as my travel team coach when I was in elementary school,” Burns wrote. “All of a sudden, he wanted me to try out for this new team called the East Hudson Academy. This was way outside my comfort zone at nine years old. In the two years I was a part of the team, I learned some valuable skills on and off the field, and it was the first time getting feedback from coaches other than my dad, which was nice.”
The Ruby, N.Y. resident graduated from Kingston High School and tutored students on the piano. She also helped restore an Apache reservation in New Mexico and rebuilt homes in Appalachia. She also played the piano and saxophone.
Burns will attend and play soccer at Temple University.
The scholarship’s namesakes were best friends and top women’s soccer players from Massapequa, N.Y. Eastern New York set up a scholarship in their name after they were killed by a drunk driver in 1985.
