Florida State University Athletics
Kathleen Sumner: Dedicated To Team and Personal Improvement
3/31/2020 5:16:14 PM | Women's Golf
Just like all the collegiate student-athletes around the country, Florida State golfer Kathleen Sumner was stunned and confused when she found out in mid-March, just one day before the team was set to compete in the Valspar Augusta Invitational, that her junior year was over.
“We all kind of had a feeling that the tournament was going to be cancelled,” Sumner said. “We stopped at a gas station in Thomasville while we waited for official word. We headed back to Tallahassee when we heard the tournament was cancelled, and on our way, we got official word that the season was cancelled.”
Sumner was enjoying an outstanding start to the Seminoles’ spring season. She had earned her way into Florida State’s lineup in each of the first three events of the spring. She finished in 14th place in the individual standings at the Florida State Match-Up at the Bay Point Golf Club in Panama City, Fla., and scored her season low of 73 in the final round of the Darius Rucker Invitational.
She and her teammates were looking forward to continuing their momentum in the Valspar.
The coronavirus, which has swept the nation by storm, brought an unexpected end to what was proving to be a season of steady progress for the entire Seminoles squad.
“I was really disappointed the season came to an end,” said Sumner. “I felt like we were all in a good place as a team and were really looking forward to the rest of the season. But I am grateful that actions were taken to ensure the safety of my teammates, our coaches and others.”
Despite the unfortunate turn of events, Sumner and her teammates are looking toward the future with optimism.
Sumner plans on taking full advantage of her newfound free time. Her ability to practice continues, along with conditioning workouts and improving her golf IQ by reading about and watching golf.
“I’m going to continue working to improve my mental approach to every shot and continue working on my swing,” said Sumner. “I’ve set up a net in my backyard, so I have unlimited practice time. The courses in my area are open and I get to those when I can. I’m also working out and conditioning at home, which is also very convenient.”
Head coach Amy Bond is confident that the team will use this time away to better themselves and come back in the fall more prepared than ever.
Bond expects Sumner to emerge from this period of uncertainty as one of the Seminoles’ leaders both on and off the course.
“Kathleen has busted her tail since October working on swing changes and making her game better,” said Bond. “She has worked tirelessly on doing the little things that are helping her become a great golfer. She has put in the time and really dedicated herself to her improvement. I’m excited about her progress and look for Kathleen to make a big impact once we are given the opportunity to get back on the course.”
As the Seminoles’ lone returning senior for the 2020-21 season, Sumner has started to take on a leadership role amongst her teammates.
“I love playing with Kathleen because she is a joy to be around,” said freshman Elle Johnson. “She has put in a lot of time with her swing and her short game and her hard work is evident every time we play. She always arrives early to practice and the work she puts in inspires each of us to put in extra work like she does. Kathleen displays her leadership by always staying positive and confident whenever she is on the course.”
Senior Amanda Doherty, the Seminoles’ team captain, agrees with Johnson.
“Kathleen has a strong drive and work ethic and I think that the younger players will be motivated by that,” said Doherty. “I am excited to watch the team next season. With everyone who is returning and the freshmen coming in, I think the team will be very strong and I can’t wait to follow their success.”
Sumner has also challenged herself to continue her incredible academic success during this challenging time.
Sumner has earned Dean’s List Honors three times and was named to the President’s list during the spring of 2019 as she achieved a perfect 4.0 grade-point average. She has twice been named to the ACC Academic Honor Roll and in 2018 was named to the WGCA Scholar Athlete Team.
As you can imagine, classes are different in this environment, but they are going well,” said Sumner. “I’m not used to doing so much work from my apartment, or in this case, home, so that’s been a big adjustment. Usually, I’d go the libraries on campus and have discussions in class. Right now everything is done online through Canvas – Florida State’s online course management system.”
Although the team can’t physically all be together right now, the group’s morale is still present.
“We all talk on Zoom every Friday, and we are honestly all pretty close, so we stay in touch,” said Sumner. “All we can do is focus on what we can control and come out of this time stronger.”
Sumner will return to Tallahassee in the fall for her senior season as a Seminole. She, along with her teammates, are looking forward to the reunion so that they can finish what they started – together.