New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
Trio of Brooklawn CC caddies earn Evans scholarships
When Vin DeFeo found out he would be a recipient of a Westchester Evans Scholarship, there was one particular feeling the senior from Shelton High had.
“It was a sigh of relief,” DeFeo said. The Evans Scholarship will allow him to go to Penn State beginning in the fall. To be specific, it was a scholarship earned through caddying in golf. It was also the conclusion of working hard toward a lofty, but attainable goal.
DeFeo is one of three high school seniors from southwest Connecticut who have been granted Westchester Evans Scholarships. Aliyah Thompson of Bridgeport and Chase Wirth, who recently moved from Trumbull to Milford, are the others. Both Thompson and Wirth will continue their education at Miami of Ohio next fall.
“We all worked hard for something and we all got the same thing. It’s really special,” DeFeo said.
These are full, four-year scholarships, not only provided to those who have spent plenty of time caddying, but also who have fine academic records.
“It’s amazing to have two of my fellow caddies receive the scholarship as well,” Thompson said. “I can happily say that I am not the only one at Brooklawn (Country Club in Fairfield) to receive this wonderful blessing. We can now celebrate together all of the hard work and all of our accomplishments over the course of our high school years.”
All three are caddies at Brooklawn CC, a big advocate of the Westchester Golf Association Caddie Scholarship Fund, which is in partnership with the Western Golf Association’s Evans Scholars Foundation. The WGA has operated the foundation since 1930. A total of 300 scholarships have been awarded nationwide for the 2021-22 academic year.
“Having two of my fellow caddies at Brooklawn also receive the Evans Scholarship is pretty incredible. It’s been a great opportunity for us all and having them alongside me has been encouraging,” Wirth said.
According to a press release, the Evans Scholarships have an estimated value of $120,000 over the course of four years. The scholarship was founded by Charles “Chick” Evans Jr., an amateur golfer who was based out of the Chicago area.
Brooklawn CC previously had eight junior caddies earn Evans scholarships. This is something the club is proud of, according to longtime member Pat McCormack, a former caddie himself at Brooklawn CC.
“Brooklawn has been a flagship club for the Evans scholarship,” McCormack said. “We support the program. We are one of a few clubs in Connecticut that has a very active and vibrant caddie program. We are extremely proud of it.”
McCormack said the application process begins around Aug. 1 each year and concludes in October. There are four different criteria each candidate must have in order to qualify.
The first is to have caddied at a club for at least two years with a good record in doing so. The second is to possess an excellent academic record. The third criteria is a financial need and the fourth is character references during the process.
“Kids know ahead of time the qualifications application process is rigorous,” McCormack said.
Said DeFeo: “I completed my junior year with above a B average. I had to write an essay explaining why I think (he should be a scholarship recipient). I mentioned how everyone
(at Brooklawn) had been really supportive.”
Thompson, who attends The Bridge Academy in Bridgeport, said balancing her schoolwork with making the application deadlines for the scholarship wasn’t easy. Upon becoming a finalist, Thompson was interviewed by a committee selecting the scholarship recipients.
“The process was nerve racking because I didn’t know what to expect in the end, but everything turned out perfect,” Thompson said.
Wirth “found the most stressful part was the interview with the WGA.” He has been accepted into the Farmer School of Business at Miami of Ohio and intends to pursue business management. Thompson intends to major in political science with the intention of becoming a lawyer.
DeFeo “wants to go into the business side” of golf, majoring in professional golf management. All three will continue to caddie at Brooklawn CC and, hopefully, help someone gain interest in applying for an Evans Scholarship in the future.
“I would tell them to work extremely hard,” DeFeo said. “It takes hard work to do well in school as well as caddying. You deal with obstacles, but it is well worth it in the end.”
Said Thompson: “I can’t forget about where I started and I have to give back to the community that gave me this opportunity. I want to help (others) just like me to receive this scholarship as well.”