Lola Burks Amya Corulla interview on college flag football

The Lola Burks Amya Corulla interview covered the interception Burks says changed a state game, her adjustment to wide receiver and defensive back, and her anticipation of a college flag football season beginning in February. The Arlington Martin athlete also discussed teammates from Georgia and California, six offers from colleges she is scheduled to face, and why trust matters on the field.

How did Lola Burks get into flag football, and what happened at state?

Lola Burks began playing flag football as a junior in high school, when the sport was first introduced there. She tried out and quickly felt she had found her sport. At state, she said an interception helped turn around a difficult game that her team went on to win.

Trying out in her junior year

Burks described a straightforward start: flag football arrived at her high school, tryouts followed, and she decided to go. She said she fell in love with playing almost immediately. That first opportunity led to the college experience she is now navigating.

The interception at state

At state, Burks recalled facing a strong team and struggling through the first half. Her interception, she felt, shifted the momentum. Her team began coming back and won the game. She described the challenge as mental as well as physical: after reaching a stage they had worked toward, the players had to resist getting stuck on what was going wrong.

Asked what younger players should take from setbacks, Burks said “patience is key.” A mistake, a dropped ball or a missed flag leaves room to improve, she said. Her advice was to keep the willingness to get back up rather than let one play decide what happens next.

What did Lola Burks say about college flag football and her teammates?

Lola Burks said college gives her more time outside class than her high-school schedule did, even though the team remains busy. She especially values playing alongside people who moved from other states to be there. That commitment, she said, makes the group’s connection feel more meaningful.

A different daily schedule

In high school, Burks described a day that ran from about 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., followed by practice and a return home around 8 p.m. In college, she said, classes can finish by late morning or noon. She likes having more of the day to herself while recognizing that college players still have plenty to do.

Teammates from Georgia and California

Burks mentioned one teammate from Georgia and about three from California. She thought about the changes involved in moving to another state, from weather and food to how people speak. Bringing players from different places together, she said, makes the team feel special.

She also sees a difference in why players join. Burks put it this way:

we're here because we want to be here not just because we are here

Looking at the games ahead, Burks said she had received offers from six colleges whose teams she is scheduled to play. Facing teams she could have joined makes her excited and nervous, particularly when she thinks about the possibility of losing.

Why does Lola Burks value flag football team chemistry?

Lola Burks believes trust between quarterbacks and receivers helps a team make plays under pressure. She pointed to a close high-school quarterback-receiver pairing as an example of players understanding each other, while also emphasizing that receivers must adjust their routes and spacing as a play develops.

Trust between a quarterback and receiver

Burks said her high-school quarterback and a wide receiver were best friends. To her, their closeness made it easier for them to stay on the same wavelength during plays. She understood why a quarterback might repeatedly throw to a receiver they trust to catch the ball, especially in a difficult moment.

That view came with respect for how much a quarterback has to manage. Burks described the pressure of knowing the plays, reacting to defenders and delivering a good throw. When a coach put her at quarterback for a game, she found the position difficult and concluded it was not one she wanted to play.

Adjusting when a play breaks down

For receivers, Burks said the defender’s position affects whether a route should go in front of or behind them. They also have to leave enough distance between teammates to avoid running into one another. One misread, she noted, can disrupt the play.

Those adjustments are why she considers flag football so dependent on players pulling together. Relationships help, but so does the ability to respond as a team when a game becomes difficult.

What did Lola Burks say about leadership and pushing teammates?

Lola Burks said leadership sometimes requires telling a teammate when their effort needs to improve, even if that message could sound harsh. She sees it as a form of care rather than meanness. In the weight room, a friend she met this year gives her the same kind of push.

Burks acknowledged that a teammate who hears they are slacking might take the comment as criticism. Her intention, she said, is to help everyone contribute, including in practice. She compared it to telling a friend when they need to do better because the friendship matters.

Her example was lala, a friend she met this year. The two push each other during weight-room work, which Burks said makes training more enjoyable and helps her work harder. Having someone beside her who expects more has helped her, and she tries to offer that support to other teammates.

How is Lola Burks adjusting to being a short wide receiver?

Lola Burks said she currently plays wide receiver and defensive back, but wide receiver is new to her. At 5 feet 2 inches, she feels her height makes the adjustment harder. She still enjoys defense and treats catching the ball as the central task when she lines up on offense.

Burks said a team choosing a wide receiver might instinctively look for a taller player. That can leave shorter players feeling overlooked before they show what they can do. She and Corulla discussed how speed, precise routes, explosiveness and work in the gym can give smaller players other ways to contribute.

For Burks, the size question is not a reason to stop pursuing the position. She pointed to shorter National Football League players making catches and plays as a reminder that height alone does not settle what an athlete can do. Her own adjustment is immediate and practical: learn the unfamiliar role, get open and catch the ball.

What does Lola Burks expect from her first college flag football season?

Lola Burks said her season begins in February, and she is eager to play. She described a break in December followed by a return to work in January. Watching other teams play has made the wait harder, but she is trying not to let expectations overwhelm her first college season.

Burks said she had been going to games while waiting for her own season. She hoped to share information about where people could watch her games on Instagram, though she did not yet know how that would work. Her excitement came with nerves about performing once play began.

She also described how she wants to handle a result that goes against her team. If everyone has given their effort, Burks said, a loss can still show players what to adjust. Learning together and returning better matters more to her than dwelling on a single game.

Who is Lola Burks?

Lola Burks is a Class of 2026 flag football athlete at Arlington Martin and an East Texas Baptist University commit with eight offers. She has played running back, defensive back, slot, safety and linebacker, and focuses on performance, leadership and building her personal brand on and off the field.