The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
The A team: Amy Burlingham
10.24.2006 | Soccer
Every week TexasSports.com highlights a UT senior student-athlete who earned Academic All-Big 12 honors in 2005-06.
People say patience is a virtue. For senior forward Amy Burlingham, the saying rings true. Some athletes only take advantage of a few of their recruiting trips, settling for a college they like before seeing all of the available options. However, Burlingham stuck it out as she traveled on five official recruiting trips in order to find the school for her. Texas found its way at the bottom of her list but first in her heart.
For everything Texas has given Burlingham, she has given something back. The first-team Academic All-Big 12 not only gives back academically, but her soccer skills rank among the best at UT. This year, Burlingham has added four goals to her career nine, jumping her to a total of 13 goals all-time. She also has added four more assists to her career 14, moving her from seventh to tie for fifth in UT history. She ranks 10th in career points with 44. Burlingham's five game-winning goals have moved her from eighth to tie for sixth. With 83 games under her belt, she is tied for second in UT history in matches played, and the 79 games she has started ranks her fourth.
Burlingham, a California girl from Costa Mesa, did not know if she would like Texas.
"I had been to Houston and was not a huge fan of the city," the senior confessed. "The weather was so different (from California). But then I came to Austin and it surprised me how much of a college-based city it is and how much support the school receives. It is very unique in the sense that the community revolves around UT."
"Athletics was such a big part of my choice to come to Texas," Burlingham said. "Look at every sport here -almost everyone is in the top 10. I think that was what really attracted me to the school along with the coaches and the facilities."
Although these aspects attracted the California native to Texas, what makes her stay says more about the connection she feels with the school.
"My favorite aspect of UT is the camaraderie with all of the athletes and how we all interact," she said. "Everyone is so supportive of each sport. That is one of the most unique parts of The University and is really exciting to have."
When athletes attend college, however, sports are not everything. On top of practice and games, athletes must find time to attend class and study.
"I am double majoring in psychology and kinesiology," she said. "I am really interested in sports psychology, but everything is kind of up in the air. I am debating between grad school and taking some time off before grad school or getting a job and working my way up."
Every college student knows, however, that dreaming of her goals and achieving them are two totally different things, but Burlingham is on the right track.
"I try to keep on top of things," the senior said of her study habits. "I am not a big procrastinator, so that is one thing that has helped me. Time management is probably the hardest thing (about being a student-athlete). You learn as a freshman, compared to your senior year, how important it is managing between studying and practice. It is something you develop. I'm lucky enough that that worked out well for me."
During the rare moments that school and practice does not encompass all of the player's time, Burlingham relaxes.
"I hang out a lot," said the forward. "My roommate, Caitlin Kennedy, and I have our favorite TV shows that we have gotten into at night. We practice really early, at 6:30 in the morning, so most of the time we go to bed relatively early."
Playing the role of student and athlete take a lot out of a person and requires a lot of patience, but you can be sure Amy Burlingham can do the job. Just as patience led her to Texas, patience will lead her to graduate, and graduation will lead her into the future.
