Printer Friendly
The Free Library
14,679,951 articles and books
Member login
User name  
Password 
 
Join us Forgot password?

PUTTING THE PAST BEHIND HIM VALENCIA BACK BURNLEY WANTS TO LEAVE ON A HIGH NOTE.


Byline: Gerry Gittelson Staff Writer

VALENCIA - Valencia High running back Charles Burnley might be the fastest running back in the region, but he's learning it takes more than blinding speed to distance yourself from your problems.

After spending a turbulent senior season with the Vikings in which he was suspended from the team, arrested for battery, served a six-month probation sentence and was placed on academic probation Academic probation is a trial period in which a student is given time to try to redeem failing grades or bad conduct. The student will be monitored closely for changes in grades. , Burnley figured the best plan was to remain low-key before leaving for Oregon State on a football scholarship.

That's why Burnley, whose troubles stemmed from a campus fight last October, originally declined an invitation to participate in the seventh annual East-West All-Star Game An all-star game is an exhibition game played by the best players in their sports league. The players are often chosen by a popular vote of fans of the sport and the game often occurs at the halfway point of the regular season, although this is not the case for some all-star games  at 5 p.m. Saturday at Birmingham High in Lake Balboa Balboa, town (1990 pop. 2,751), Colón prov., in the former Panama Canal Zone, on the Gulf of Panama. The port for Panama City, Balboa was the administrative headquarters of the Panama Canal Zone. It was also the site of a U.S. navy base (closed 1999). .

``It's been a difficult year for me. That's why I wasn't sure it was a good idea to play in the game,'' he said.

But then Burnley realized the game offered him a chance to finish high school on a positive note while representing his school and community one last time.

It also didn't hurt he'd be helping raise money for the Valley Youth Conference football league.

Eventually Burnley changed his mind and decided to play, a decision he's happy about.

``It's wonderful. It's a privilege to play and definitely a blessing,'' Burnley said.

``This gives me a chance to go out right. (Since the fight), people who I thought were friends have looked at me differently. I regret that incident, but it was blown out of proportion. I'm not Charles Burnley the fighter, I'm Charles Burnley the all-star football player.''

The Valley Youth Conference has a special place in Burnley's heart. He remembers learning the game as a running back for the North Valley Bears.

``Our rival was the Chatsworth Chiefs. They had Cary Dove, the Pratt brothers, all those guys who went to Taft High (in Woodland Hills),'' Burnley recalls.

``One time, we played and the score was 0-0, but it was the best football game I've ever played in. I thought I scored a touchdown but they said I was out of bounds.''

Burnley doesn't want to be out of bounds any longer. With his problems behind him, he wants nothing more than to put on a good show - and perhaps break a long touchdown or two - in his final high school game.

--Hey what about me dept.: David Brooks David Brooks is the name of:
  • David Brooks (journalist) (born 1961), commentator for The New York Times and other publications
  • David Brooks (politician) (1756–1838), United States representative in the Fifth United States Congress
 of Burroughs High didn't get much publicity this season - that's what happens when you're 5-foot-8, 160 pounds and in the same league as Hart and Canyon - but the Weber State-bound defensive back believes the East-West event is a perfect opportunity to make a name for himself.

``I'm the smallest guy on the field but I'm holding my own,'' Brooks said. ``This is an extremely good shot for me, so I'm going to play up and show what I can do.''

Teammate Cory Brownlee, a linebacker, also is participating. He's helped make the linebacking corps the strength of the East team, according to according to
prep.
1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians.

2. In keeping with: according to instructions.

3.
 coach Anthony Harris Anthony James Harris (b. 26 June, 1982) in Dunedin. He is a New Zealand cricketer who has played for the Otago Volts in the State Championship and he also plays for Central Otago in the Hawke Cup.  of Campbell Hall Campbell Hall can refer to:
  • a residence hall at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)
  • Campbell Hall School in North Hollywood, California
 of North Hollywood. Among the team's other linebackers are Rob Lewis of Montclair Prep of Panorama City - the best player on the team, according to Harris - along with James Jenkins of Crescenta Valley The Crescenta Valley is a small inland valley in Los Angeles County, California. Its name derives from its crescent-like shape, with the convex portion facing roughly northeast and the concave portion southwest.  of La Crescenta and Juan Wilson of Littlerock.

SEVENTH ANNUAL EAST WEST ALL-STAR FOOTBALL GAME

Where: Birmingham High

When: Saturday, 5 p.m.

Coaches: Troy Thomas, West; Anthony Harris, East.

Locals: David Brooks, Burroughs; Cory Brownlee, Burroughs; Charles Burnley, Valencia; Henry Chriss, Hart; Kevin Crane, Valencia; John Dincher, Burbank; Kevin Estes, Saugus; Alex Gottlieb, Valencia; Kyle Hetman het·man  
n. pl. het·mans
See ataman.



[Ukrainian het'man, from Polish hetman, from German dialectal hötmann, hetmann, captain; akin to German Hauptmann
, Hart; Brian Hwang, Burbank; Cody Kase, Hart; T.J. McDonald, Burroughs; Chris Piligian, Hart; David Shipp, Valencia; Will Simons, Hart; Alan West, Burroughs; Eric Wilson Eric Wilson can refer to:
  • Eric Wilson (bassist), a member of Sublime
  • Eric Charles Twelves Wilson, a recipient of the Victoria Cross
  • Eric Wilson (suspense writer), an American author
  • Eric Wilson (author), a Canadian author
, Hart; Steven Wright

For other people named Steven Wright, see Steven Wright (disambiguation).


Steven Alexander Wright (born December 6, 1955) is an Academy Award-winning American stand-up comedian, actor, and writer from Burlington, Massachusetts.
, Valencia.

CAPTION(S):

box

Box:

SEVENTH ANNUAL EAST WEST ALL-STAR FOOTBALL GAME (see text)
COPYRIGHT 2003 Daily News
No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder.
Copyright 2003, Gale Group. All rights reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.

 Reader Opinion

Title:

Comment:



 

Article Details
Printer friendly Cite/link Email Feedback
Publication:Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)
Date:May 30, 2003
Words:634
Previous Article:JUST ONE LITTLE THING: WHERE DID KARIYA GO?(Sports)
Next Article:NOTHING TO SHOW DUCKS AGAIN DON'T SCORE; N.J. UP 2-0 NEW JERSEY 3, DUCKS 0.(Sports)(Statistical Data Included)



Related Articles
GAME OF THE WEEK: VALENCIA PICKS, ROLLS VIKINGS INTERCEPT VOSE THREE TIMES IN VICTORY VALENCIA 50, CHAMINADE 28.(Sports)
QUICK PAYS OFF BIG VALENCIA MAKES MOST OF CHANCES VALENCIA 49, BURBANK 24.(Sports)
TIMELY PLAYS CARRY VALENCIA VALENCIA 26, CANYON 21.(Sports)
2002 PREVIEW PREP FOOTBALL: VALENCIA IS NOT OUT OF SHADOW.(News)
VIKINGS CLICK GOTTLIEB, BURNLEY SUCCESSFUL COMBINATION FOR VALENCIA.(News)
VALENCIA CAN'T FINISH COMEBACK A. GRANDE 28, VALENCIA 21.(Sports)
VICTORY SHOWS CANYON IS BACK CANYON 20, VALENCIA 14.(Sports)
STAR AIMS AT HART.(News)
FOOTBALL FRIDAY.(News)(Statistical Data Included)
LET'S LIGHTEN UP ON UMPIRES.(News)

Terms of use | Copyright © 2009 Farlex, Inc. | Feedback | For webmasters | Submit articles