Zoe Parker will enter her senior year at Bishop Gorman with one less thing on her mind than many of her classmates as she knows where she will be heading to college come 2024. Parker has signed on to play golf at Boise State in Idaho and it is the best of two worlds. –by Bill Bowman, www.LasVegasGolfInsider.com

Now, before everyone wonders why she would choose a school in the cool Northwest that has, shudder, more than its share of snow, the answer is easy: She loves skiing as well as golf.

“I’m super excited about Boise State,” she said of the school where she plans to major in business. “There were a lot of factors that came into the choice that made it the best fit for me. It’s got everything…it’s got the perfect team, it’s great academically and it’s very school-spirit oriented and I love that.”

And, don’t forget about the change of seasons.

“Yes, it does have snow and that’s great,” she said. “I’m excited to get out of Vegas. It can just get a little too hot here. And there’s a ski resort that’s very close in Boise and that’s great. I do ski…a lot.”

But we’re talking about golf and Parker is happy with the way she’s improved each and every stop up the ranks.

“The SNJGA has been very good for me,” she said. “Those were the first tournaments I started playing in and everyone was so welcoming. Now I’ve had the chance to play major events for them including the Border Wars (a team event against Utah) and the Girls Junior Americas Cup. It’s just been a great learning experience.”

And the learning has continued on and off the golf course at Bishop Gorman.

“Being on the Gorman team has given me the opportunity to really learn about team play,” she said. “With all of the traveling tournaments we do, it’s really prepared me for learning how to get along with everyone else on a team. You always think of golf as an individual sport but when you’re on a team you’re not only playing for yourself but playing for the others on the team.”

She said she’s already looking forward to college life…but there are some trepidations.

“It will be different not knowing where anything is at first,” she said. “I’m a little worried about that and making new friends is also in the back of my mind. In college, I’ll have to start all over trying to meet new people. It will be exciting.”

In the end, the new landscape appeals to Parker.

“For me, I wanted a bigger school,” she said. “It’s going to be a great experience and I wanted to get out of the state…but not too far. I want a good education and a good environment so it gets to be where it feels like it is home. When I step outside, I want to feel like this is where I want to be.”