Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, April 4, 1991 TAG: 9104050361
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: E-10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Last year, the Vikings senior won the state Group AA high jump at 6 feet, 7 inches. It would seem that Burke should be ready to go higher, but there's a hitch. This past winter, Burke played basketball, and last winter he didn't.
Burke didn't start track practice until last week because the Vikings reached the state Group AA basketball tournament, and the 6-foot-4 Burke, a backup center, was busy until the middle of March trying to win a state championship of a different kind. Members of the basketball team participating in spring sports also were given a week off to recuperate.
Burke, deciding to concentrate on his studies so he would be ready for track, didn't play basketball as a junior. As a result, he was fresher last year when he started track than he is this year.
"It was kind of mixed feelings," said Northside assistant track coach Jim Robinson, who guides the Vikings' jumpers. "On one hand, I'd kind of like him to be fresher. I don't know how much basketball took out of him on leg strength.
"On the other hand, the positive [of playing on the basketball team] outweighs that, especially since the team was so successful."
Burke, a big part of the Vikings' track team, said he sees basketball as a help, not a hindrance.
Burke also reached state competition in the 110-meter hurdles, which he won in the Region III meet.
"I stayed in shape throughout the year. Last year, I didn't run anything until track started. I felt good this year when we started," he said.
Last week Robinson told Burke to practice while the rest of the track team competed in a meet against Blacksburg.
"He said to work on form and not worry about height," Burke said. "My legs were tired after basketball, and that's why I took the week off. Now they feel pretty good."
Whether basketball hinders his final track season won't be known for two more months.
Burke said track certainly helped him in basketball. Though he played only about 15 minutes a game, he was one of the Vikings' top rebounders. When he played against Laurel Park and 6-8 Odell Hodge in the Region III tournament, Burke wasn't afraid to go inside against one of Timesland's best shot-blockers.
"Track helped me getting down the floor quicker, whereas I was slow when I played basketball in junior high. It [high jumping] also helps me getting rebounds, getting over the top of people," said Burke.
"Against Laurel Park, it was like everyone was afraid of Hodge. But Coach [Billy Pope] told Pete Taylor [the Vikings' starting center] and me to go inside. We decided to challenge him. Coach said if he blocks your shot, no big deal."
Following the directions, Burke scored a career-high 15 points and didn't have a shot blocked.
"I loved playing this year, being back with all my friends whom I played with in junior high and before junior high," said Burke. "But my heart is still in track. That's where I hope to earn a college scholarship."
So what are the goals this spring for Burke in track besides the obvious, a second consecutive high jump state championship?
"The goal is 7 feet," said Robinson. "It's tough. He cleared 6-10 last year. Seven feet is a pretty lofty goal."
Burke never got a chance at going that high last year. When he cleared 6-10, Robinson halted his jumper.
"He had beaten the competition, and you never want to set limits. If he tries to go higher and doesn't make it, that's a limit. Besides, it was a district meet and you don't want to do your best in a district meet," said Robinson.
Burke doesn't talk about goals in measured performances.
"My goals are to increase my jump and win the state again," he said. "Since five of the top six from last year are back, it'll take a lot of hard work because one of them cleared 6-7 or 6-8 indoors."
Burke's brother, Neil, was a basketball star at Northside three years ago, making the All-Timesland team and going on to play for Bridgewater College in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. The two Burkes are different, though, when it comes to athletics. Neil Burke was one of Timesland's hardest-working athletes, but Brian Burke appears to have more athletic ability.
"I started later in track than Neil did in basketball," said Brian Burke. "I'm not quite as dedicated. He does it [works on basketball] all year round whereas I do it during the season.
"He started playing basketball when he was seven or eight. I started running track in the seventh grade."
Brian Burke found out he was a high jumper almost by accident, for in junior high his big event was running hurdles.
"I was jumping one day and got to 5-10," Burke said of the jump that changed his athletic career.
by CNB