Barry FaulknerHer speed and athleticism were obvious...

Barry Faulkner

Her speed and athleticism were obvious upon her arrival at Newport

Harbor High, but when it came to discussing then-freshman Amy

Burlingham, Sailor coaches were more anxious to point out her

consumption with competition.

Those first impressions proved prophetic as Burlingham, over the

next four years, proceeded to dominate competitors both on the soccer

field and on the track, en route to being recognized as the school’s

Girls Athlete of the Year.

Burlingham’s reputation was built as a fleet forward on the soccer

team, though her recently completed senior track and field campaign

allows her to be termed a two-sport star.

Burlingham will play soccer at the University of Texas, after

making two separate All-American teams as both a senior and junior at

Harbor. As a senior, she was a repeat Parade magazine All-American,

while adding McDonald’s All-American accolades as well.

In addition to the Parade honor as a junior, she was named to the

girls under-16 All-American team by the National Soccer Coaches

Association.

The 2001-02 soccer season was her most successful as a Sailor, as

she was named Sea View League Player of the Year for leading the

Sailors to a second-place finish. With Burlingham spearheading the

offense up front, the Tars then advanced to the CIF Southern Section

Division II quarterfinals, where they dropped a heartbreaking 1-0

decision at Crescenta Valley to finish 13-7-4.

She was named first-team all-league and first-team All-CIF

Division II for her efforts, as well as the aforementioned

All-American recognition.

As a sophomore, she earned the first of her three first-team

all-league laurels, and was named second-team All-CIF for leading

Sailor scorers on a team that posted the first two postseason

victories in the program’s history.

The Tars, who had not been to the playoffs since 1994, defeated

Loara in a wild-card clash, then topped first-round foe Troy, before

falling to powerful Edison to finish 12-7-4.

Losses to graduation, a string of injuries and the always rugged

competition in the Sea View League, denied the Sailors a playoff

appearance in 2003.

Burlingham, however, turned her zealous desire to succeed to track

and field, a sport she had bypassed as a junior to concentrate on her

busy club soccer commitment.

Burlingham first captured attention as a standout freshman

sprinter, but a conflict with a club soccer tournament took her out

of the league finals meet and, consequently, the entire 2000

postseason.

As a sophomore, Burlingham won the Sea View League 200-meter title

and was second in the 100 at league finals. She also helped the

school’s 400 relay quartet finish second at league finals.

With a commitment to track that earned praise from Coach Eric

Tweit, Burlingham blossomed this spring. She won league titles in the

200 (26.48) and the 400 (58.74), while also anchoring the league

champion 1,600 relay (4:05.79) and helping the 400 relay finish third

at league finals.

Her time of 58.19 at CIF Division II preliminaries was a

then-personal best and she went on to finish fourth in the event with

a school-record clocking of 57.83 at CIF Division II finals. The

previous record of 57.94, set by Amy Johnson, had stood for 22 years.

She also set the school record in the 200, but dropped the event

after league finals to concentrate on the 400, as well as the relays.

The Sailors’ 1,600 relay, which also included Elda Hernandez,

Kiley Hall and Amy Klippert, set a school record (3:56.64) while

posting a third-place finish at CIF Division II finals.

Burlingham’s talents also helped the Tars finish ninth in CIF

Division II in the 400 relay.