By TIM BIRNEYValley Sports Report
ATHENS — Athens senior Abby Burgess opened some eyes last spring with a fourth-place finish in the 100-meter dash at the PIAA Class 3A Track & Field Championships. On Wednesday, Burgess signed a National Letter-of-Intent to run for Division I Lehigh University in a brief ceremony in the high school gymnasium.
Burgess knew Lehigh was where she'd spend her next four (or more) years pretty quickly.
"The campus is just beautiful," she said.
"It was the first college I visited, actually," noted Burgess.
"I talked to all the coaches, and Lehigh had the most respectful coaches, and the team atmosphere was great," said Burgess. "I just loved all my visits there.
"When I finally got to meet the coach in person, we just bonded so well, I just knew that's where I wanted to go" she added.
Burgess knows she has some work to do with the jump from the NTL to Division I.
"I need to work on all of the technique stuff ... I just have to perfect those as I go into the Division I level.
"I'll be training a lot over the summer to prepare for that," said Burgess. "I just have to keep training hard."
Athens track & field coach Mike Bronson believe Burgess will make the necessary adjustments to be successful at the next level.
"I think if she continues to focus on working on the little things, and working hard, she will gradually keep getting better.
"She's improved every year, from her freshman year, sophomore year, junior year, and, hopefully, we continue to see that this year.
"She has competed at the highest levels in the state of Pennsylvania," added Bronson. "She handles competing really well, and she works really hard. I think she''ll adjust really well."
Elyse (Skerpon) Landis, who was a sprinter / hurdler at Sayre and Penn State, has worked with Burgess for several years, and is confident she will be successful at the next level
"Abby has the drive, and she always has," said Landis. "And that's one thing that has always been really impressive about her — the time and the commitment that she puts into it.
"I think once she gets there and is surrounded by the team, the people, and those coaches at the next level, she will flourish," Landis added.
Landis, who is a volunteer assistant with the Athens track team, believes Burgess will just need to "keep her head in it.
"The mental game is probably one area that she could improve on — just having confidence in herself and not thinking that other people are better than her.
"I think just once she gets that mindset, at the next level, it will really help her," said Landis.
"She's dedicated, and she works really hard, so I think she'll be successful," she added.
With a Division I ride in hand, Burgess has no intention of letting off the gas in the spring.
"I have big goals again," she said. "I want to place higher at States than I did last year."
Burgess will major in Biology with the intent of becoming a chiropractor.
———————————
IN PHOTO 1: Athens senior Abby Burgess. IN TOP PHOTO: Athens senior Abby Burgess is flanked by her parents Heather and Mark Burgess, and brother Jake Burgess (far right). ... PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.
