King’s Fork High School senior Kayla Jones began to experience the realization of a lifelong dream last Saturday when she committed to attend and play softball for the West Virginia University Institute of Technology.

When she was little, she recalled watching softball on television with her father.

“Dad, that is so cool, I want to be able to play like those girls,” she remembered saying. “I want to be able to be that good, I want to be able to play at that level.”

William Jones replied by saying it would take a lot of hard work.

“I think all my hard work and everything has paid off,” she said.

Her parents, William and Sarah Jones, were on hand for the signing ceremony on WVU Tech’s campus.

“It’s just exciting to see her progress, to get to that next level,” her dad said on Thursday. “Not only that, it saves money in the pocket.”

The hunt for a college home was not easy for Kayla Jones.

“I got stuck between a couple, but the team at Tech, they were so welcoming and they were like a family, and I felt very safe there,” she said.

She will join former King’s Fork High School standout Megan Blythe, who is now a sophomore.

Lady Bulldogs head coach Richard Froemel said the athletic scholarship Jones was offered, in addition to an academic one, was well-deserved.

“Her work ethic is among the best,” he said. “She is open to learning.”

Referring to WVU Tech, he said, “They were impressed with her athleticism,” and that trait is what makes her so versatile on the field.

“I think she’ll bring a lot to them,” Froemel said.

Amber Affholter, the incoming head softball coach at WVU Tech, watched the game video to which Jones directed her and liked what she saw from the Suffolk youth.

“She came and tried out for the team, and right after her tryouts, we knew that she would be a perfect fit for our program,” Affholter said. “She brings a lot of energy to the team, and I think that her hard work and her dedication and what she has to offer in the outfield, as well as catching, will definitely help.”

Kayla Jones’ playing experience came primarily through the Virginia Legends Fastpitch traveling softball club, King’s Fork and recreational ball.

So far in high school, she has accrued two varsity letters for softball, two for field hockey, one for indoor track and field and one for cross country.

Jones will also be tackling a particularly challenging major at WVU Tech — chemical engineering. Her academic record has benefited from the same work ethic she exhibits on the diamond. At King’s Fork, she has received an award for having a grade point average over 3.6 and has made the honor roll seven times and counting.

She identified those who have helped her reach her present level of success.

“I would probably give credit to my dad and my mother,” she said. Not stopping there, she added, “I would give it to God. He has given me everything I have ever needed to get there.”