Travis Burk focused on the positives after his College Heights Christian football team suffered an 82-30 setback to Orrick in Week 2 of the 2022 season.
“I felt we made some improvements from Week 1, even if you can’t tell by the score,” Burk told SoMo Sports. “Orrick has a great program and has been solid for several years. We have a lot of work to do and a lot of teaching. I was proud of our effort. I never want to make excuses, and we preach the same thing to the athletes. In reality, though, we are still learning and football is new to so many of them.”
The Cougars scored 16 points in the first quarter.
Logan Decker ran for a 1-yard touchdown and ran in the 2-point conversion.
A sophomore, Decker completed a 15-yard touchdown pass to Colsen Dickens. Decker ran in for the extra point.
In the second quarter, Decker threw a 64-yard TD pass to Caleb Quade. The 2-point try was good, as Decker completed a pass to Quade.
CHC’s final score came when Decker completed a 10-yard pass to Dickens. The 2-point conversion failed.
Orrick led 52-30 at halftime.
The hosts outscored the Cougars 30-0 after the break for the final margin of the 8-man clash. The Bearcats improved to 2-0.
Burk noted there were many positives in the game. He added he saw several areas of concern that the Cougars will be working on this week in practice.
“Offensively, I really felt we competed great in the first half but missed a few key blocks that could have helped us score a few more times,” Burk said. “We’ll get that cleaned up this week. Defensively, we need to finish our tackles, which we will also be working on.”
College Heights (0-2) will host Greenfield (0-2) at 7 on Friday night at Joplin High School.
Greenfield has suffered losses to Appleton City (44-20) and to Liberal (36-12).
College Heights Christian School is set to debut its 8-man football team.
The Cougars are scheduled to open their inaugural season against North Shelby at 7 on Friday night at St. Joseph Christian.
College Heights coach Travis Burk noted his squad is thrilled to kickoff the season.
“I think we’re as ready as we can be,” Burk said. “North Shelby was a top-four team in the state last year. It’s our opening game and it’s going to be a tough game. We’ll need to play well. But I expect our kids to get after it. And we’ll find out where we are.”
Burk said the team has made steady progress during preseason practices.
“We’re learning a lot,” said Burk, who has previous head coaching experience at Oswego and Humboldt in Kansas. “I think the kids are learning something new every day. We’ve got 22 kids out, and for 12 of them it’s been the first time they’ve ever put on a football helmet. They’re getting better and learning a lot. It’s been a journey. It’s been a lot different than other programs I’ve taken over. We started from scratch.”
College Heights football coach Travis Burk (left) is pictured with CHC athletics director Phillip Jordan. Courtesy photo.
The Cougars competed at a jamboree in St. Joseph last Friday.
“I thought we looked pretty good for our first time out,” Burk said. “We didn’t make a lot of mistakes. Overall, it went pretty good.”
Burk said sophomore Logan Decker is the team’s starting quarterback.
“He’s a smart kid and very athletic,” Burk said, noting that Decker is a dual threat.
Junior Colsen Dickens is slated to start at running back.
“He’s a great kid and is athletic,” Burk said. “He can play receiver, too.”
Junior Caleb Quade is a wide receiver.
“He’s about 6-4 or 6-5,” Burk noted. “He can jump and he runs well.”
Derrick McMillan, a senior, is another wide receiver.
“He’s quick and explosive,” Burk noted.
Sophomore Levi Durling is a player who can contribute at both running back and receiver, while freshman Cannon Miller is another option at receiver.
Senior Curtis Davenport (6-5, 235) is expected to anchor the offensive and defensive line.
“He’s very strong,” Burk said. “It looks like he’ll be an offensive guard and a defensive end for us.”
Matt Williams, a junior, is a player Burk expects to contribute at linebacker and on the offensive line.
Junior Kyson Miller is the starting center and a defensive lineman. Noah Hipple, a senior, is another player who will start on both sides up front. Sophomore Caleb Hipple is a nose guard.
“There are several other kids who will get some playing time,” Burk said, adding several freshmen could be in the mix.
College Heights has three home dates scheduled — Sept. 9 vs. Greenfield, Sept. 23 against Appleton City and Sept. 30 vs. Norborne. The home games will be played at Joplin High School.
With the program’s first-ever game arriving on Friday night, Burk noted he and the players are thankful for the opportunity to make College Heights proud.
“We’ve got great kids,” Burk said. “They work hard, and they ask questions and want to learn. They’re coming in before school to get their lifting in. I’ve got some great assistant coaches (Andrew Campbell, Kaden Decker, John Lucas). The administration has backed us and our parents have been wonderful. And I think we’re going to do some good things this season.”
CARTHAGE, Mo. — For the first time in program history, a boys basketball team from College Heights Christian is in the quarterfinal round of the state tournament.
College Heights never trailed on the way to a 54-43 victory over Blue Eye on Wednesday night in a Class 2 sectional at Carthage High School.
“We made history and hopefully we’ll keep making history,” College Heights coach Eric Johnson said. “The team played well. We had some spurts in the third quarter. We knew they were a good team, and we knew they’d hit some shots. Our kids played well. Getting up early on them helped. They had to play catch-up.”
Fifth-ranked College Heights (24-4) will meet top-ranked Norwood (28-1) at 2:45 p.m. on Saturday in the state quarterfinals at Republic High School.
The Cougars lost in the sectional round last year in their first-ever trip to the state tourney. This time around, the Cougars were more than ready for the experience.
“Last year’s game helped us big time,” Johnson said. “We came here last year and didn’t know what to expect. They might have been intimidated. This year, we knew what it’s like.”
College Heights Christian senior forward Hagen Beck scores in the lane against Blue Eye on Wednesday night at Carthage High School. Photo by Jessica Greninger.
Now, the Cougars are heading into uncharted territory—one win away from the Final Four.
“This is the first time in school history winning sectionals, so this feels great and I’m so proud of my teammates,” College Heights senior guard Miller Long said. “This feels awesome. But no one on our team is satisfied yet. We’re ready to go all the way.”
Long said he and his teammates were determined to go further in the postseason this year.
“All of us put in the work over the summer,” Long said. “We’re more confident. We know we’re better this year. We play like it too.”
NAMES & NUMBERS
The Cougars have now won six straight and 12 of their last 13.
The 6-foot-3 Long paced College Heights with 23 points. He hit three 3-pointers, five 2-pointers and four free throws.
Junior forward Curtis Davenport scored 10 points for CHC, while senior forward Hagen Beck added eight. Senior point guard Ethan Adel and 6-7 senior forward Ethan Meeks contributed six points apiece.
Blue Eye ends the season at 23-5.
Lance Clark scored 17 points to lead the Bulldogs, while Isaiah Mitchell added 10 and Logan Isbell had nine.
GAME RECAP
College Heights Christian senior Ethan Meeks puts up a short jumper against Blue Eye’s Isaiah Mitchell on Wednesday at Carthage High School. Photo by Jessica Greninger.
A trey from Long gave College Heights an 11-6 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The Cougars took a 10-point lead at 24-14 after two treys from Long, a free throw from Caleb Quade, a putback by Long and two hoops inside by the 6-4 Beck.
College Heights’ halftime advantage was 24-16.
The Cougars were clinging to a six-point cushion in the third period when they finished the frame on a 7-2 run for a 35-24 lead.
College Heights separated further by starting the fourth quarter on an 11-2 run. During the game-changing surge, Long scored seven points, while Adel and Davenport added hoops.
Long’s final hoop of the night, a strong drive through the lane, gave College Heights a commanding 20-point lead at 46-26 with just over four minutes to play.
The Bulldogs showed some fight down the stretch. Blue Eye used a 12-4 run to pull within 12 at 50-38.
The Bulldogs cut their deficit down to nine late in the game, but the Cougars received two free throws from both Davenport and Long that all but sealed the win.
“We just had to keep reminding our kids to play good defense and contain their shooters,” Johnson said. “And if you want to win big games, you have to make free throws and rebound. We’ll celebrate tonight, but then we’ll get back to work and prepare for Saturday.”
College Heights junior Curtis Davenport scores inside against Blue Eye during the Class 2 sectional game on Wednesday night at Carthage High School. College Heights won the game 54-43 to advance to the quarterfinals. Photos by Jessica Greninger.
College Heights point guard Ethan Adel handles the ball against pressure from Blue Eyes Lance Clark on Wednesday night inside Carthage High School. College Heights won the game 54-43 to advance to the quarterfinals for the first time in program history.
Travis Burk will be the first-ever head football coach at College Heights Christian School.
Burk has recently been tabbed to lead the Cougars, who will debut an 8-man football team in the fall of 2022.
“It’s a great opportunity to start a new program,” Burk said. “I’m so excited and I feel God has blessed me. I love the school. I can’t say enough good things about College Heights. College Heights has a great faculty and a great administration. The kids and the parents at College Heights are great too. It’s a God-loving school and very focused on academics. One reason we came to Joplin was to get our kids in that school and in that environment. It was definitely a positive experience for my kiddos.”
College Heights football coach Travis Burk (left) is pictured with CHC athletics director Phillip Jordan. Courtesy photo.
Due to increased interest from students and parents, College Heights has approved adding a football program for the 2022 season.
Burk noted his program will do things the right way.
“A big part of our program is going to be building integrity and confidence and it will be about being part of something that’s bigger than one person,” Burk said. “High school football teaches lifelong lessons. It’s a brotherhood. It’s very important that it will be a safe environment too. We’re going to teach kids how to tackle and block correctly without getting hurt. The most important thing to me is our program will represent godly values and a relationship with Jesus. To me, doing things the right way is very important.”
When it comes to the game of football, Burk has extensive experience. He played college football at both Emporia State and Baker University. Burk has been a head coach at both Oswego and Humboldt in Southeast Kansas, while he’s been an assistant coach at Neodesha, Chanute and Labette County.
Burk, who gave up coaching the last few years in order to watch his daughters play high school sports, has also coached state champions in powerlifting.
Burk and wife Tanya have three daughters — Keyahnah, Kaynahn and Klohe. Keyahnah attended Labette County, Kaynahn is a recent College Heights graduate, while Klohe attended CHC before transferring to Carl Junction.
As far as next fall, Burk said CHC currently has seven dates finalized, five on the road and two at home. College Heights is still trying to add a couple more games to the ’22 schedule. The Cougars will likely be playing their home dates at the Joplin High School athletic complex.
As far as the 8-man game, Burk noted it’s enjoyable to play and entertaining to watch.
“8-man football is a really fast game,” Burk noted. “It will be exciting to watch. It’s going to be high-scoring and entertaining for the fans. I’m not sure what our numbers will be exactly yet, but I think it will be a good fit for the kids we’ll have and I think people will see some entertaining games.”
Burk, who recently met with athletes interested in suiting up for the Cougars, said prospective football players will start lifting weights at least two mornings a week this spring. Summer workouts will follow ahead of the program’s inaugural season next fall.
“I’m just excited to get started,” Burk said. “I think it’s going to be a lot of fun. And I think we can make a difference in the lives of a lot of kids.”
CHEROKEE, Kan. — Local boys basketball squads had opposite results on Tuesday night at the Lancer Classic.
Second-seeded College Heights Christian handled seventh-seeded Baxter Springs 59-44, while sixth-seeded McAuley Catholic suffered an 83-55 loss to third-seeded Southeast in the opening-round of the annual event at Southeast High School.
With the win, the Cougars (11-2) will meet the host Lancers at 8:30 p.m. on Friday in the semifinals.
Clinging to a two-point lead at the half, College Heights outscored Baxter Springs 23-6 in the game-changing third period go up 48-29.
Miller Long and Curtis Davenport combined for 49 points for College Heights.
Long scored 25 points and hit seven 3-pointers, while Davenport added 24 points on 11 field goals with two treys.
Kaden Niday scored 15 points for the Lions, while Kameron Williamson added 12 points.
Southeast finished strong against McAuley.
The Lancers led 19-13 at the end of the first quarter, but McAuley outscored Southeast 25-19 in the second period for a 38-35 halftime advantage.
Southeast won the third quarter 18-11 for a 53-49 lead. The Lancers owned the final frame, as the hosts outscored the Warriors 30-6.
Noah Black scored 24 points for the Warriors, while Rocco Bazzano-Joseph added 11 points.
Southeast’s Cade Burdette scored 26 points and hit five 3-pointers. Three others reached double figures for the Lancers, as Easton Renn scored 14 points, Wyatt Scales had 13 and Drake Guymon contributed 10.
McAuley Catholic (3-11) takes on Baxter Springs at 5:30 on Friday in the consolation semifinals.
In other action, top-seeded Erie defeated eighth-seeded Parsons 67-55 and fourth-seeded Columbus edged fifth-seeded Riverton 62-59.
After contributing to a sectional championship in 2020, four juniors and a sophomore are expected to lead the way for the College Heights Christian volleyball team this fall.
College Heights coach Mary Colin is confident juniors Lauren Ukena, Addie Lawrence, Lindsay Griesemer and Ava Masena and sophomore Maddy Colin give the Cougars a solid core.
“Lauren, Addie, Lindsay, Ava and Maddy are powerful players who love to play and have fun,” Coach Colin said. “They will all serve aggressively, hit hard, dive for balls, block balls and maintain strong team chemistry. They’ll be fun to watch.”
All five of those players gained valuable experience during the Cougars’ memorable ‘20 season.
College Heights went 24-4 overall and 6-0 in conference play a year ago. It was the third consecutive season the Cougars went undefeated in conference action.
College Heights won district and sectional titles last year. The Cougars have five key performers back from last year’s team. File photo.
College Heights captured district and sectional championships before concluding the season with a loss in the quarterfinal round of the Class 1 state tournament to eventual runner-up Lesterville.
The Cougars lost seven seniors to graduation and will feature no seniors this fall.
Ukena and Lawrence are expected to lead CHC’s attack at the net.
Ukena, a defensive specialist last season, will be an outside hitter this year, while Lawrence returns at right side hitter.
“We are expecting to see offensive points from Lauren and Addie,” said Coach Colin, who is now in her 10th year as CHC’s head coach. “They both bring power and experience. They are also very aggressive from the service line. Lauren will contribute solid defensive play as well.”
Colin noted Griesemer is another outside hitter who possesses power.
Masena will be College Heights’ starting libero.
“She’s a great defensive player, as well as being a great communicator and a team leader,” Colin said.
Maddy Colin will run the team’s 5-1 offense from the setter position.
“She dishes up a nice ball, can be an offensive threat and is aggressive from the service line,” Coach Colin said.
In addition to the five returning performers, junior Marley Woodford, sophomore Katie Moss and freshman Libby Fanning are other players who could make an impact at the varsity level this fall.
“All three are working hard, love to play and are looking for varsity time,” Coach Colin said.
The keys to success for the Cougars are simple, Colin noted.
“Consistency,” she said. “Honestly, that’s the goal for most teams. We aren’t a team full of six footers, but if we continue to gain consistency, our opponents will feel like they’re playing six footers.”
Colin added there’s a lot to like about this year’s squad.
“The team is very well-rounded,” Colin said. “We have state champions in track (Lawrence, Ukena) and a conference player of the year in softball (Maddy Colin). They love this game and they get better everyday. Ultimately, in volleyball, we need to kill the ball, serve some aces and dig and block. These girls can do these skills.”
The Cougars begin the season on Sept. 2 at Lockwood. The team’s first home date is Sept. 13 against Marionville.
The College Heights Christian cross country program reached new heights in 2020, as both squads won Ozark 7 Conference titles before the girls team captured the Class 1 state championship.
The College Heights girls lost three runners from last year’s championship squad, including their top performer, Grace Bishop.
But CHC coach Phillip Jordan has a solid group back.
Jayli Johnson, Madelynn Jordan, Madi Carson and Sophia Moore all return with prior varsity experience.
A junior, Johnson placed fifth at last year’s district meet and finished 32nd at the state meet. She also had a fine track season, contributing nicely as the Cougars won a state championship.
Madelynn Jordan and Carson are both sophomores who competed at state as freshmen. Jordan took ninth at the district event and finished 61st at state, while Carson placed 15th at the district event and was 80th at state.
Newcomers Stella Moore and Cloee Shackleford are expected to contribute.
“The girls’ commitment and positive mindset will push our team success,” Coach Jordan said. “We will rely on several young athletes who haven’t competed on the varsity level.”
The College Heights boys return a large group from the conference championship team.
The team’s lone returning state qualifier is sophomore Caleb Quade, who advanced to state as a freshman after a 14th place finish at the district meet. He placed 76th at state.
Also back are juniors Derrick McMillan and Corban Thomas and sophomores Rolen Sanderson, Steven Calandro and Brayden Youngberg.
McMillan was 17th at last year’s district meet, while Sanderson, Thomas and Calandro were 21st, 24th and 28th, respectively.
During the spring track season, CHC’s 4×800-meter relay team featuring McMillan, Sanderson, Thomas and Quade placed second in Class 1.
Newcomers are Jace Edwards and Dane Sanderson.
“We are young and have more confidence coming off a successful track season,” Jordan said of his boys squad. “The majority of our team will play soccer and will not have the full conditioning they need to be at their best. However, they are all hard working kids who will give their best.”
The Cougars will kick off the season on Sept. 4 at the SWCCCA Invitational in Bolivar.
RIVERTON, Kan. — College Heights Christian last fielded a softball team in 2019. The Cougars won three games that entire season.
In just three outings, this year’s squad has matched that win total.
College Heights improved to 3-0 on the season with an 8-1 non-conference softball victory over Riverton on Friday.
“We’ve been very consistent and I’m excited about our start to the season,” College Heights coach Mike Howard said. “We’ve done well hitting. We’ve had good pitching. And when the ball has been put in play we’ve done a really good defensively.”
Freshman pitcher Maddy Colin had a stellar outing in the circle. Colin struck out 15 and allowed just three hits and one walk.
“She’s a special player even though she’s just a freshman,” Howard said. “She’s played travel ball her whole life. You can really tell that experience helps her out.”
College Heights freshman Maddy Colin delivers a pitch to the plate against Riverton. Colin struck out 15 batters and earned the win. Photo by Jason Peake.
Colin has allowed just one run in three victories.
“Maddy’s been a workhorse for us,” Howard said. “She’s really started the season well. She’s just been really consistent with her pitches.”
Kloee Williamson, Sarah Painter and Colin had two hits apiece for the Cougars, who also feature players from McAuley Catholic. Williamson and Ari Calandro scored two runs apiece.
Riverton’s Elizabeth Wells, Courtney Ross and Kayla Greer had one hit apiece.
Morgan Compton was charged with the loss in the circle. She struck out seven and allowed 10 hits.
The visitors scored twice in the first inning, as Williamson was hit by a pitch and later scored on Layne Jackson’s RBI double to center.
Later in the frame, Colin singled, Avery Good and Aaliyah Perez both walked before pinch runner Calandro scored on a passed ball.
College Heights erupted for six runs in the third.
Williamson reached on a bunt single and came home on Colin’s RBI single.
Good and Perez both reached on dropped third strikes, with Calandro scoring on the second.
Painter delivered a two-run double to left and then Lauren Ukena added a run-scoring single on a bunt.
After Jayli Johnson’s single, Ukena charged home on a passed ball for an 8-0 lead.
“Once we got on-base, we did a good job on the basepaths,” Howard said. “We were able to steal several bases and we kind of played small ball to move the runners. We did what we could to manufacture runs.”
Riverton’s lone run came on Elizabeth Wells’ home run in the fourth inning.
College Heights will host Exeter at 5 on Tuesday.
BASEBALL: Riverton 15, College Heights 0
The Riverton Rams earned a run-rule victory over the visiting Cougars by scoring three runs in the first, one in the second, four in the third and seven in the fourth.
Down 3-0, the Cougars had their chances in the top of the second.
With one out, Nathan Williams and Caleb Evans both walked before Rolen Sanderson moved the runners over with a ground out. Bo Sitton was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
But Riverton starting pitcher Kaden Hedrick induced an inning-ending lineout off the bat of Kelton Welch.
Hedrick earned the pitching victory, while CHC’s Ben Thomas was charged with the loss.
Riverton’s Kyler Harper had three hits, while Walker Mallatt drove in three runs on two hits. Noah Valenti and Ryder Phillips had two RBIs apiece.
The Cougars (1-1) were limited to two hits. CHC will look to bounce back against Exeter on Tuesday.
CARTHAGE, Mo. — College Heights Christian’s historic postseason run came to an abrupt end on Tuesday night.
Converting turnovers into points the other way time and time again, top-ranked Crane knocked off College Heights 74-59 in a sectional contest of the Class 2 state boys basketball tournament at Carthage High School.
Ranked first in Class 2 by the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association, the Pirates (19-5) meet Norwood (22-5) at 6 on March 5 in the quarterfinals.
The Cougars, who made their first-ever state tourney appearance, finished the season with a record of 17-10.
College Heights coach Eric Johnson noted there’s no shame in ending the season against a talented squad like Crane.
“That’s a good team right there,” Johnson said. “That’s a team that can go a long way. They play well together and trust in each other. They do things well. They know their limitations. You have to play a really good game to beat those guys.”
Crane took advantage of 21 College Heights turnovers, with many of those takeaways leading directly to layups.
“We made too many turnovers,” Johnson said. “We knew coming in we’d have to limit our turnovers. Unfortunately, we were unable to do that and they got a lot of layups on us. We mishandled the ball outside a lot and it cost us. Against that team, you have a turnover and they make you pay for it.”
In what was a familiar pattern throughout the win-or-go-home contest, the Cougars would make a run at their deficit, only to see the Pirates answer back each time.
“That’s a mark of a good team,” Johnson said.
NAMES & NUMBERS
Junior guard Miller Long led College Heights with 21 points. He made nine field goals, including one trey, to go with two free throws.
Sophomore Curtis Davenport contributed 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Cougars, while junior Hagen Beck had nine points.
Freshman Caleb Quade scored six, juniors Ethan Adel and Ethan Meeks had four points apiece and sophomore Ben Thomas added two.
Senior guard Brecken Vaught scored a game-high 27 points for Crane, while sophomore forward Taylor Calzaretta added 14 points.
GAME RECAP
The Pirates led 9-2, but hoops from Davenport, Long and Meeks cut CHC’s deficit to 14-10.
Crane scored seven unanswered points to take an 11-point cushion into the second quarter at 21-10.
The Pirates went up 27-15, but the Cougars used a 7-2 run to stay within striking distance, with Adel, Long and Davenport contributing points.
But Crane punched back, scoring nine unanswered points to extend its lead to 38-22.
A free throw from Beck trimmed College Heights’ halftime deficit to 38-23.
The Cougars had 12 turnovers in the first half.
The Pirates took a 41-23 lead, but the Cougars rallied.
Long in particular caught fire, scoring 10 straight CHC points as part of a 14-4 run that trimmed Crane’s lead to 45-37 with two minutes left in the period.
“We made a good run to come back,” Johnson said, noting he was pleased with his team’s fight. “Miller got going. We eliminated our turnovers and they couldn’t stop us inside.”
Crane’s Vaught hit a key 3-pointer to push the lead back to double figures, and the Pirates led 52-41 entering the fourth quarter.
The Pirates started the final frame on a 9-2 run to pull away for good.
Johnson again noted he was pleased with his team’s effort.
“How we played them in December (74-38 loss) to how we played now was a whole different game,” Johnson said, noting 34 turnovers in the first meeting.
THEY’LL BE BACK
If there’s any consolation for the Cougars, it’s this—every single player who scored in Tuesday’s sectional contest will return next winter.
“We’ll have a lot back,” Johnson said. “We got this far and now we know what it’s like. And we know what it will take to move on. Hopefully the kids will put in a lot of time between now and next year. Hopefully we’ll get back here again.”
Kaynahn Burk has become accustomed to all the stares, whispers and questions.
For Burk, a senior at College Heights Christian School, those moments are simply part of her personal journey of living with alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss.
Living with alopecia hasn’t been easy, but Burk doesn’t attempt to hide her condition. Instead, Burk is on a mission to spread awareness about alopecia, with hopes that expanded research will one day produce a cure.
“I almost think the alopecia has been like a blessing in disguise,” Burk said. “God’s allowed me to not have hair so I can show other people that it’s okay not to have hair. I don’t need to look at the world’s standards and not feel confident in myself because I don’t have hair.”
According to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation (NAAF), the condition affects as many as 6.8 million people in the United States and 147 million people worldwide.
Those with alopecia are otherwise healthy, but suffer sudden hair loss after the immune system attacks healthy hair follicles. People of all ages from both sexes and all ethnic groups can develop alopecia, and it often first appears during childhood.
There is currently no cure for alopecia, so once you have it, you have it for life. According to the NAAF, many people with alopecia suffer from depression, anxiety, anger and embarrassment due to the condition.
Pictured is College Heights Christian School senior Kaynahn Burk.
September is Alopecia Awareness Month, and Burk and the College Heights Christian volleyball team are doing their part to get the word out.
“Everyone’s wearing blue to spread alopecia awareness,” Burk said of Tuesday’s home volleyball match. “It’s just a cool thing to do to help spread the word about what alopecia is.”
Burk is also doing a personal fundraiser.
“We are selling shirts that I designed,” Burk said. “They are comfort colors and they’re $20. And 100 percent of that is going to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation. It’s all about funding research for a cure. I hope people help spread awareness. People can also donate to the NAAF themselves or people can also hold other events like ours.”
Burk wasn’t even a year old when she was diagnosed with alopecia.
“I was only 10 months old when I lost my hair,” she said. “Before that, I had ITP (immune thrombocytopenic purpura). It’s a condition where your blood doesn’t clot. I was supposed to die. The doctors didn’t think I would make it. My parents went to their church and prayed and not long after that, I was completely healed. The doctors still can’t explain that.
“But a month later I started losing my hair,” she continued. “They thought it could have been due to all the stress my body had been through with all the shots and treatments and everything. The hair didn’t grow back. We think all of that earlier treatment could have caused my alopecia, but we’re not completely sure.”
Growing up with alopecia hasn’t always been easy for Burk.
“It’s been tough at times, but I’ve learned a lot of valuable things from it,” Burk said of everyday life with a bald head. “There are constant questions and people staring. I have been bullied a few times. It has been hard at times, but I’ve also learned a lot. God has been so good to me. I’ve been blessed.”
Burk has excelled in multiple extracurricular activities. She’s been a key performer for the successful College Heights volleyball and basketball teams the past several years. Burk is a defensive specialist for the CHC volleyball team and a guard on the basketball squad.
The daughter of Tanya and Travis Burk, Kaynahn has also earned two state titles at 115 pounds at the annual Missouri State Powerlifting Championships.
Kaynahn Burk is a two-time state champion in powerlifting.
“I give God 100 percent glory for everything he’s done in my life,” Burk said. “And my family and friends have always been really supportive and I’m grateful for that.”
While she’s become accustomed to life without hair, Burk admits she would love to see the day when a cure for alopecia is found.
“A cure would be great,” Burk said. “It would be so cool to someday have hair. Honestly, it would be really cool. I know other people who have alopecia, and I think it would be so cool if they could one day have hair and experience what it’s like. Even though that’s not where my confidence comes from, it would be cool to have that experience of having hair. I don’t know what it’s like.”
Until a cure becomes available, Burk will continue to spread awareness about alopecia.
And if a cure never comes, Burk is determined to not let the condition negatively impact the journey called life.
“My confidence comes from Jesus Christ,” she said. “Whenever I look at scripture and it tells me I’m beautifully and wonderfully made, I can trust in that. It’s okay to be different. You can still be beautiful.”
LEARN MORE: For more information, visit the National Alopecia Areata Awareness Foundation website https://www.naaf.org/.
Kaynahn Burk is raising money for alopecia awareness by selling T-shirts this month. Courtesy photo
After earning all-conference recognition a year ago, senior outside hitters Lainey Lett and Catie Secker are expected to lead the way for the College Heights Christian volleyball team this fall.
Lett was a first-team All-Ozark 7 Conference selection a year, while Secker earned second-team honors. The pair were CHC’s leaders in kills a season ago.
“Everyone loves the power that Lainey and Catie bring,” Cougars coach Mary Colin said. “That’s really fun. Catie and Lainey will be our power on the outside again. They’ve been there for a couple years now, so we’re used to seeing them on the outside.”
Senior liberos Avery Good and Kaynahn Burk also have plenty of varsity experience. Colin said sophomore Ava Masena is another candidate at the position.
“All three are really great players,” she said of the libero group.
Seniors Layne Jackson and Emma Woodford are middle blockers/middle hitters who should play key roles.
Sophomore Lauren Ukena is a player who can play right side hitter or defensive specialist.
“She can do just about anything,” Colin commented.
Colin noted starting positions are still up for grabs. The veteran coach used three different starting lineups during a jamboree on Thursday against Clever at Ozark Christian College.
“I have 14 athletes who compete well in the gym,” Colin said, noting five sophomores and a freshman are in the mix with eight seniors for varsity playing time.
Colin noted the group is an enjoyable one to coach.
“The team’s chemistry is really good,” Colin said. “They’re really nice kids. They are sweet and fun and they cheer each other on. If someone subs in, they encourage their teammates. They’re aggressive, they like getting better and they are fun to coach. We’ll see how they improve all season.”
College Heights is coming off a stellar 2019 season. It was the one that saw the Cougars go 31-2-1. CHC fell to Diamond in the championship match of the Class 2 District 11 tourney.
The Cougars must overcome the loss of standout Emmy Colin, last year’s conference player of the year.
“It’s a little quieter in here now,” Coach Colin joked. “Emmy was a great communicator and she knew the game well. She was a great role model.”
