No Quit In Burlow

By Dave Ricci

As I was about to snap Samantha Burlow’s photo she asked if she could keep her sport-goggles on.

“They’re my trademark,” Burlow joked, as she adjusted them back into place.

While her sport-goggles and white headband make it easy to pick Burlow out in the crowd those that know her best will say that the spunky Burlow’s real trademark is her never say die attitude. An attitude that helped see her dream of playing sports in college come true. Several weeks ago Burlow, a senior at Buffalo Seminary, signed her National Letter of Intent to play lacrosse at Division II Edinboro University.

“Coming into high school I thought I was going to do cross country in college, but things change. You try new things and you fall in love with it,” Burlow said. “You meet people that encourage you to do better and pursue something like lacrosse.”

Burlow, who also serves as captain and starting point guard for the Sem basketball team, said that without question her involvement in cross country and basketball helped with her conditioning and overall athletic ability. But it was Sem varsity lacrosse coach Russell Allan who put Burlow on the athletic path that would pave the way to college. And it was all, largely, by chance at first.

“Probably the first two weeks of preseason my freshman year,” Burlow said when asked, “when did lax overtook cross country?”

“Because my first lacrosse coach, he put me on the (Sem) varsity team. So he really helped me a lot and he told my parents I should go to travel. So I did travel my sophomore year and my junior year. Then I did a showcase (in Nov. 2015) and I found Edinboro.”

Sem basketball coach Kacie Mills spoke of the never say die mindset the 5-foot-1 Burlow possesses on the basketball court and, really, in everything that Samantha does. “It’s inspiring,” said Mills. “She’s the smallest kid on the court almost every single game. She’s not afraid of anyone out there. She’s not gonna back down from anyone. It’s nice to see and the girls really look up to her.”

Now in her fourth season with the Red-Tailed Hawks basketball team Burlow feels that her young life has come full circle. And that she is ready to take that next step in life because of all that she has learned and experienced throughout her life. Especially the time spent at Buff Sem.

“Academically (Sem) really, really, really makes you tough. Taking college courses freshman year is insane,” Burlow said with a smile. “The academics really made me a better student. Socially, I didn’t like the person that I was in middle school so I left a lot (behind me) in middle school. Came to high school and now I’m a new person. I’m a happier person.”

When asked why she struggled to ‘like herself’ in middle school, Burlow confessed that the conformity of the Catholic school she went to weighed heavily on her thoughts and, to a degree, felt constrictive on how she was viewing the world around her and how she fit into that world. Burlow said that coming to a non-denominational school like Buff Sem, opened a whole new world to her. A world of opinions, experiences and friendships in a supportive and accepting atmosphere that allowed her to grow into the young woman she feels she was meant to be.

As she looks to the future Burlow said that Edinboro is absolutely the right choice for her because she feels their are many similarities between the ‘Boro and Sem. “Since Sem is a small community I didn’t want to go to a bigger school,” she said. “Edinboro is a smaller community. The (lax) coach (Caitlin Formato) really felt like a big sister to me, that’s how I feel about Kacie. They’re like my bigger sisters. My role models.”

Burlow has shown herself to be a role model as well. The way she handles not only the pressure of her role as a point guard, but the way she carries herself when things don’t go according to plan. In Sem’s Jan.25 loss to Mt.St.Mary, Burlow and Mount senior Katie Hart were chasing after a loose ball. Burlow got the worse of the collision and was knocked to the ground. She got up, staggered a bit as she tried to decide which way to run. The Sem bench couldn’t help but laugh at Burlow’s momentary case of “Bambi legs” and confusion. Burlow laughed too. Proving that Sam Burlow takes the game seriously, but she doesn’t take herself so seriously that she can’t laugh at a bump in the road.

Mills spoke glowingly of Burlow and the attributes that will no doubt lead Samantha to a successful adult life.

“She has such a strong work ethic. No obstacle is too big for her. She always wants to overcome it,” said Mills. “You couldn’t ask for me. She comes to practice every single day. She wants make not only herself better, but the people around her on and off the court. Academically, she works her butt off as well. I think she is more than ready for college and college athletics.”

Burlow will major in either nursing or nuclear medicine technology.