Dec. 1, 2008

KENNESAW, Ga. - Albert Einstein once stated, "Out of clutter, find simplicity. From discord, find harmony. In the middle of difficulty, lies opportunity."

For the Owls' Scott Burley, the jump from his high school cross country and track and field days in Brockville, Ontario, to the success he would eventually experience at the Division I level in the United States should have been a smooth transition. However, no one could have predicted the events that were about to unfold.

Burley chose to begin his collegiate running career at the University of New Orleans, a member of the Sun Belt Conference. He made the move to New Orleans on Monday, August 22, 2005. The next day, on August 23, a tropical depression, which would become Hurricane Katrina began to form around the Bahamas. The tropical depression would become a tropical storm by the 24th, before reaching Hurricane status on the 25th. Two days later, on Saturday the 27th, he and his teammates were told to evacuate New Orleans.

"Our coaches encouraged us to pack a weekends worth of clothing because we would be retuning the following Monday," Burley said. "Little did I know I wouldn't return to see my apartment until January."

Katrina struck New Orleans on August 29, breaking the levee system and flooding 80 percent of the city. At least 1,836 people were killed by the storm, with many more missing.

Without a cell phone, money, or extra clothes, Burley stayed with a friend, Cory Denstel, and his family in Baton Rouge, La. With no school to return to at that time, Burley and many of the students at UNO were admitted into LSU.

"My team was admitted as UNO students at LSU, where we trained and attended school," Burley said. "I ran Cross Country, starting with a stress fracture and six weeks in a pool, but made it to conference. Finally after Christmas I returned to Baton Rouge and moved into a hotel for three weeks, before returning to New Orleans."

On January 30th, the University of New Orleans was reopened, but with no living arrangements, and with classes taking place in tents. Burley and his teammates were moved into a hotel in downtown New Orleans, where they were forced to carpool and find their own way to class everyday until the campus dorms were reopened.

"We finally got to move into our campus dorms, which were basically prison cells," Burley said. "No internet, no air conditioner, and one electrical plug to share."

"Training for track was the only thing keeping me together," Burley said. "Running helped me escape from the stress and disaster around me. Then one week before Indoor conference, our track program was cut, and I had lost my scholarship."

Given the choice of being released or sticking it out, Burley who has never been known to quit, chose to stay at UNO for the remainder of the season. When the season finally ended, he returned home to review his options.

Among those options, was the prospect of attending Kennesaw State. All it took was an e-mail, and the Owls' Cross Country Head Coach, Stan Sims, jumped at the chance to sign a runner of Burley's caliber. Sims called Burley the following day with an offer.

"I had already had other offers, but his eagerness to help me really won me over," Burley said. "I was down two weeks later for a visit with my mom, and loved it. I signed, and what a good choice."

Burley wasted no time on making his mark on both the Owls' cross country and track and field teams. Since arriving at Kennesaw, Burley has been awarded cross country Runner of the Week three times, once in 2006 and twice this season. In addition he earned All-Conference after a third place finish at the conference championships in '06.

In addition to his cross country accomplishments, Burley has had his share of success in Track and Field as well. In 2007, Burley was named All-Conference, placing first in the 3000m steeplechase while setting an Atlantic Sun record. Burley placed first in the 3000m steeplechase again in 2008 to earn All-Conference for the second consecutive season. During the Indoor season, Burley took first in the mile while breaking the record. He also placed second in the 3k.

"The entire experience at Kennesaw has been very rewarding for me," Burley said. "I have grown into who I am today. I have learned a lot about myself, and what I need to do to succeed."

In the end, Burley's path to collegiate success may not have been the one he had originally mapped out. He had dreamed for years of attending and running for UNO, and found it all taken away by a natural disaster that he could have never planned for. Instead of breaking records and claiming conference honors at UNO, he received the opportunity to make his mark at Kennesaw State, which he has done and continues to do.

For Burley, the story of how he has gotten to where he is today can be summed up by one quote, a quote he has lived by since his high school days. In a sense, they are the words that have helped shape his life. When he says them now, it is evident they hold the same meaning and motivational powers to him, that they did the day he moved to New Orleans and again, the day that he left.

"Don't limit your challenges," Burley quotes. "Challenge your limits."