When the softball game ended you didn’t have any trouble finding Kamdyn Richbourg: she had the dirtiest uniform on the field.
Akira Burt, on the other hand, was so silky smooth you were barely aware of her presence on either the volleyball court or the track. It appeared as if she hardly broke a sweat.
The two Richmond Hill girls excelled at their sports and as a result they are taking their talent to the next level. The pair signed letters of intent last week in the school’s East Cafeteria with Richbourg signing to play at Erskine College and Burt, who excels in track, agreeing to play volleyball at Georgia State.
Richbourg was the Wildcats’ catcher for four years and she was a player who didn’t mind getting down in the dirt so to speak.
“Kamdyn is exactly what every coach wants in their catcher: tough, athletic and a field general,” said Coach Chris Jenkins who coached her the past two seasons. “Hands down one of the hardest workers and best leaders I’ve had the pleasure of coaching.”
Richbourg helped lead the Wildcats to the state playoffs each of her four seasons behind the plate, three times advancing to the second round and this past season they were eliminated in the Super Regionals as a No. 3 seed.
As a senior she hit .332 and was the team’s top power hitter with two home runs, seven doubles and four triples with 17 RBI.
“At Erskine she is going to play for a coach and program where she will thrive,” Jenkins said. “We’re extremely proud of her accomplishments and cannot wait to see the immediate impact she has up there.”
Erskine is a private school located in Due West, S.C. It is affiliated with the Presbyterian church and competes in the DII Carolinas Conference.
Burt was a standout on one of top runs in Richmond Hill volleyball history and she also excelled as a sprinter for Coach Levi Sybert in track.
This past season the Wildcats under first-year coach Kaitlin Bean set a school record for wins with a 39-5 record and was the school’s first team to win a region championship in Class 7A. They won the Region 6A title her sophomore year.
“Akira is the player every coach wants,” Bean said. “She is very talented and reliable. You can always count on Akira to put the ball away and score when you really need it. She steps up in big matches and performs.”
In her three years on the varsity the Wildcats were 85-31 with two region championships, twice reaching the second round and the third round two years ago.
This past season she had a .378 percent hitting average, 73 blocks and 261 kills. For her career she had 418 kills, a .322 percent hitting average, 125 blocks and 41 aces. In last spring’s Region 6A track championship she won the 400-meter dash and was second in the 200
“What separates Akira most from a lot of players is her ability to lead and to be the ideal teammate,” Bean said. “Akira is your biggest hype woman. She makes every teammate feel special and welcomed.
“She plays with so much joy and love for the game. Akira has all the qualities to have a very successful career at Georgia State.”