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Burrows' Persistence Pays Off

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By NICHOLAS J.E. MURRAY

nmurray@tampatrib.com

Published: January 19, 2009

TAMPA - Brittany Burrows' story is one of persistence.

The standout Alonso High girls soccer player will be on the University of Florida's roster next season, but her being there has as much to do with her refusal to give in to obstacles as her playing ability.

Make no mistake, she is a talented player. Florida, which reached the Sweet 16 and was ranked No. 10 in the nation by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America's final poll, doesn't take players it doesn't expect will help it in its goal of a national championship.

But after having torn her left ACL twice, and having missed out playing while the bulk of college recruiting was happening in her sophomore and junior years, Burrows was as much selling herself to the Gators as UF was selling itself to her.

Burrows first tore her left ACL in January 2006 at the end of her freshman year. Looking back, she said as soon as it happened, her main focus was getting back on the field.

"All I could think of was getting back," Burrows said. "I wanted to be back out on the field, because watching everyone going through their recruiting classes and getting better, I don't know, I just wanted to get back into it."

She rehabbed for six months, and returned to the field in time for her sophomore season. Against Sickles in December 2006, she reinjured the knee.

"As soon as it tore again, I knew exactly what it was," she said. "As soon as it tore, I felt it and said, 'It happened again, it happened again.' Tears just came to my eyes, because I knew I was going to have to go through rehab again."

Alonso coach Scott Cunningham also knew.

"You heard the scream, and you already knew what it was," Cunningham said. "Now, she's out another year."

A full 12 months of rehab would lie ahead, and it couldn't have come at a worse time. In high school soccer, sophomore and junior years are generally the key times for a player's recruitment. Players often commit then. For the nation's top programs, classes can often be filled before a ball is kicked in anyone's senior season.

Burrows, whose father played football for Woody Hayes at Ohio State University, had always wanted to follow her mother to Florida. But when she contacted the Gators, the door was barely open.

"I actually had to e-mail them and go to them, because their recruiting process was already done," Burrows said. "They told me that their '09 roster was already full, and there was a very slight chance I would be able to get in."

For Burrows, a slight chance was as good as any. With the backing of her Clearwater Soccer Club coach John Planamenta, she stayed in regular contact with Florida coach Becky Burleigh, keeping her informed about her playing schedule.

"We talked, Brittany and I and her father talked about how it's not going to be an easy process," Planamenta said. "She knew she was going to be behind everybody as far as the recruiting process, but she had to get started, and once she did, she went about it the right way. It was one of those things where Florida never said 'No, we're looking in a different direction.' She kept thinking that opportunity was still there, and then sure enough she was able to be seen at the beginning of December, and everything took off from there."

After a standout performance at early December's Raleigh Showcase, in which Clearwater won all three games, the offer finally came. Burrows got word Dec. 8 from Florida it wanted her to be a Gator.

"I was screaming, I was crying, I was running through the halls at school just telling everybody because I was just so happy," Burrows said. "I just felt like I really accomplished what I wanted. I didn't give up, I could have, but I didn't, and just knowing the Gators are willing to accept me. I'm going to have a whole new family when I go there."

Nicholas J.E. Murray can be reached at (813) 259-8243.

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