First, I would like to thank the Summerville Foundation for selecting me to become a member of the 2023 Summerville Hall of Fame. It is truly an honor.
I am so blessed to have been raised in a small town and to have attended Summerville. I grew up in a large family, the middle child of 7 children, we were raised in Twain Harte and have the most amazing parents. We were involved in as many activities available, including musical instruments, all sports activities and even theatre. They wanted us to experience a wide variety of things, so we could find what truly inspired us and made us happy. For me that was sports.
My Mother, Sheila Low, was a swimmer, paddler and an incredible surfer growing up and my Father was an All-Star Football and Basketball player for his high school; so athletics didn’t fall far from the tree. My parents taught us what hard work, good work ethics, dedication and determination was all about.
I remember when I was in elementary school, going to a Summerville basketball game to watch my dad referee and it was then that I could not wait to be a Bear. Not only did I get to cheer with Mrs. Baldwin and her squad, but watching the older kids compete at a higher level and seeing the stands packed with fans only made me want to play better and be part of it all.
When I came to Summerville I had a lot to live up to considering my older sister Phoebe was not only a Superstar Athlete in every sport but also a scholar student with a 4.25 GPA. My class was pretty talented and it helped being surrounded by a strong upper and lower class, so all of our sports teams did very well. I had the privilege of playing Volleyball, Basketball and Softball for Summerville, we were fortunate to have incredible talent, which brought us to the playoffs in all 3 sports every year during my high school career. I was honored to receive several awards including MVP, All-League and even earned MVP of the first 6 County All-Star Basketball Game in Modesto.
My coaches each saw something different in me that helped me become a more well-rounded player. Mr. Wingo strengthened our “work-ethic”, ensuring we shot free throws every lunch and he pushed me to train outside of practice. Mrs. Dwyer motivated me and showed me how to be tough and not give up. Mr. Watson and Mr. Roberson both believed in me and gave me confidence to take me to the next level. I remember pitching with Mr. Roberson at practice and threw my first rise ball. I was so surprised and excited but he knew I could do it the whole time.
I am grateful for my time playing for Summerville, but I am most thankful for the everlasting friendships and memories I made while there. I will never forget laughing hysterically on the bus rides with Marion, Christine and Shelby or singing Strawberry wine over and over in the van on our way to a tournament. We would spend the night at Jodi’s or Tami’s house or go to Briana’s before a game. We looked forward to the Summerville traditions like waking up early before school to paint the rock, Rushing to the gym to register for our classes or finally sitting up on the Hill during our Senior year. We had a wide range of friends and I couldn’t have asked for a better high school experience then I had at Summerville. I am thankful for my teachers and counselors that inspired me and helped prepare me for college.
After Summerville I attended Merced Junior college where I played both Basketball and Softball. I earned high honors in each sport, including 2-time MVP of the League and 2nd Team All-State in Basketball. I was also 2-time MVP in League for Softball, 2-time 1st Team All-State, 2-time 1st Team All-American and California Player of the Year in 2000. In 2014 I was inducted into the Merced Junior College Hall of Fame and was recently informed I was nominated for the CCCAA Hall of Fame. I graduated with my Liberal Arts degree and accepted a full scholarship to the University of Tennessee to play softball and study Marketing. I finished my senior year with honors and accepted another full scholarship to play Basketball at California State University San Bernardino where I made All-Conference and graduated with my degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing.
While at Cal Sate I met my husband, Bobby Burries who also played for the Men’s basketball team. We just celebrated 21 years together and have 5 beautiful children BJ, Brianna, Brayden, Brealani and Brielle. They are very smart and talented and we could not be prouder of all they have accomplished. After college I taught for 6 years and joined the Airline industry, which helped since my husband played professional basketball overseas. I have been with United Airlines for over 17 years and I am so grateful for all the opportunities and places we have been able to travel. I was President of our uIMPACT chapter at LAX for four years and I enjoy volunteering in the community and giving back to the younger generation. In 2017, I was awarded the United 100 award for going above and beyond at work. This award is given annually to only 100 employees in the entire company, and recently I learned I was awarded this honor again for 2023.
To my Future Bear Alumni, always remember “You are Braver than you Believe, Stronger than you Seem and Smarter than you Think.” The world might seem big out there but just know you have a great foundation at Summerville and you can do anything you put your mind to. Thank you again Summerville Foundation for this honor, I am truly thankful.