In her freshman year, Olivia Burnett recalled her first encounter with hurdles.

“I remember walking by them, and seeing some of the senior girls,” she said. “I always thought about trying it, and they suggested that I do.

“It was a good experience, and I have been doing it ever since.”

Still, the Catasauqua senior had plenty of trepidation at the start.

“It was extremely intimidating,” she stressed. “They were on concrete and the chance of falling scared me.

“The other girls at the time helped ease me into it. I gained my confidence and began to feel comfortable with everything. I began to have some decent finishes, and really felt good about everything.”

Today, Burnett participates in the 100 and 330 hurdles and the high jump. She recently was honored at Senior Night, and was grateful for the dedication of the program’s new track at the school.

Over the past few years, Burnett has had her share of memories at different places.

“The four years have gone quickly,” she said. “I came out for track as a freshman, and I thought I was going to be a sprinter. It was amazing to see the new track, and now we don’t have to travel to Whitehall for practices and meets.”

With a competitive dance and cheerleading background, Burnett believed it helped make the transition a smooth one.

“It really helped me with my natural rhythm.” she said. “I also had to work on my steps and be as focused as I could be. Timing played a big part in it, too. It was just a matter of putting it all together.

“My background helped both the hurdles and the jumps.”

As far as her jumping ability, Burnett credits head track coach, Kyle Rusnock, who has been a constant inspiration.

“Coach Rusnock asked me if I was interested in jumps,” said Burnett. “He was working on them, and he thought I could do well with them.

“I had coach Rusnock in eighth grade, and he would tell me that I would love track in high school. He has stuck with all of us every single day, and he is a great motivator. He is such an amazing coach.”

Rusnock has been appreciative of Burnett’s contributions.

“Olivia has been a great athlete for us,” said Rusnock. “She excels in many events and qualified for districts last year. She is a leader on the team and has a great work ethic.”

This season, Burnett has a personal record of 19.5 in the 100 hurdles and 56.9 in the 300. Her best effort in the high jump is 4-6.

Last season, Burnett‘s best finish at districts was a 4-4, good for ninth in the high jump. Getting back to districts and beyond in all three events is a major goal this spring.

She prefers to run the 100 hurdles instead of the 300 because she can keep her rhythm at a quicker pace.

“In the 100, I need to stay focused for about 20 seconds,” she stated. “In the 300, there is more strategy involved. You also have to worry about your sprint around the turn, and then keeping everything in order.”

Burnett plans to attend Penn State’s main campus in the fall to pursue a career as a physical therapist. She has spent some time as a volunteer in the field with St. Luke’s.

Her track career likely will end in May, but Burnett has entertained the thought of giving back to the sports she loves as a coach.

“It is a different sport that we truly were pushing each other,” said Burnett. I enjoyed the chemistry we have, and it is different from any other sport. I would like to help and teach others.

“I really have enjoyed my time with track.”