- April 25, 2024
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Kate Parsons, above with her FPC golf team, signed with Marymount University. Fatima Barham, below with her family and Matanzas soccer coaches, signed with Pace University. Courtesy photos
FPC's Kate Parsons, with her family, signed a golf letter of intent with Marymount University. Courtesy photo
Kate Parsons, surrounded by her FPC teammates and Bulldogs girls golf coach coach Phil DeAugustino, signs a letter of intent to play golf at Marymount University. Courtesy photo.
Fatima Barham, with her family and coaches, signs a letter of intent to play soccer at Pace University. Courtesy photo
Fatima Barham and Kate Parsons weren't highly recruited athletes.
For Barham, a senior at Matanzas, playing college soccer was her dream. But as the years and the injuries added up, it seemed to be a dream out of reach.
Parsons, a Flagler Palm Coast senior, knew if she was going to have a chance of playing golf in college, she would have to market herself.
They both signed college letters of intent last week to continue their athletic careers.
"It's surreal to think about," said Barham, who signed with Division II Pace University in Pleasantville, New York.
Parsons will play golf at Division III Marymount University of Arlington, Virginia.
"My parents helped me set up a program online so I could show videos of my swing and post my scores," she said.
Coach Rob Ferguson of Marymount was one of the coaches to view Parsons' videos. He liked what he saw.
"(The coach) said my swing looks awesome, and asked, 'Would you like to come to our campus to meet the team and see if you fit here?'"
KATE PARSONS
"He said my swing looks awesome, and asked, 'Would you like to come to our campus to meet the team and see if you fit here?'" Parsons said.
Parsons liked what she saw too.
Marymount has a quality program. The Saints won the Atlantic East Conference championship last year to advance to the NCAA Division III national championships.
Parsons was particularly impressed with the two-story driving range and an indoor practice facility that includes chipping and putting greens and two simulators for full swings.
Parsons began playing golf at age 3 when her parents gave her a plastic club.
"They said, 'She has the hand-eye coordination, let's she if she likes it.'" Parsons said.
She began playing tournaments at age 12. At FPC this season, she averaged 39 in nine-hole matches and 78 in 18-hole tournaments. She and teammate Carmella Carlisi qualified as individuals for the regional.
Parsons, who wants to be a veterinarian, will major in biology.
Barham, a defender and midfielder during her four seasons playing for the Pirates, wasn't thinking about soccer when she applied to colleges.
She was looking for schools that were the best fit for her major — arts and entertainment management. Pace was her top choice, and when she was accepted, she felt she had nothing to lose if she contacted the women's soccer coach, Mike Winn. Winn founded the school's women's soccer program back in 1998.
"I keep telling myself, 'I'm going to New York to go to college, and I'm going to play soccer there.'"
FATIMA BARHAM
She sent film, and Winn told her she had a spot with the team if she wanted it.
Pace has its regular team and also has a reserve team for students who want to continue to play soccer but are too busy in school to play an intercollegiate sport. The reserve team players practice twice a week and play a five-game schedule against other university reserve teams. Players are allowed to move back and forth between the teams, and they all practice together as one team.
Winn told Barham he thought she could fit into the regular team's fast style of play.
"I didn't think I was going to play soccer in college," Barham said. "It all moved pretty quickly. They are a very high intensity team. The coach thought I could fit into that."
Barham knows she will have to push to reach that level. But either way, she will be playing soccer in college, a dream that doesn't quite seem real yet.
"I keep telling myself, 'I'm going to New York to go to college, and I'm going to play soccer there.'" Barham said.
