Burley Develops As a Player and Transforms As a Person

By:  Jaamal Rhodes

When you see him in action you think, "Wow!  He's long, athletic, and can really jump."  If you met him you would probably think, "Wow!  He's quiet, reserved, and really shy."  Both of those observations would be absolutely correct... if it was 2008 and Travis Burley had not yet graduated from Warren County High School.

Imagine a 6'4" monster of an athlete who could catch a lob pass above the square or could run a fade route and catch a touchdown pass over multiple defenders.  As a basketball player, Travis controlled the paint for the Devils.  he averaged a double double during both his junior and senior seasons on the court and added five blocks per game.  He was instant excitement.  You could be sure that when he played you were going to see something amazing, whether it was a thundering dunk or Travis tossing an opponents shot into the stands.

Burley was equally exciting as a football player.  During his senior year, Travis racked up 641 yards and 8 touchdowns on just 28 receptions.  None was more important than the game winning reception to put the Devils up 34-21 over Wilkinson County with only seconds left on the clock in the first game ever played at Albert J. Massey field.  Burley also had an 80 yard reception late in the 3rd quarter to briefly put the Devils up 17-13 over ECI in the playoffs.  ECI would go on to win the state championship that year.

Now imagine a 6'4" child who could be in a room for hours and go unnoticed.  As a student, Travis was very unassuming.  He never spoke unless spoken to and even then it was nothing more than what was warranted.  "How was your weekend Travis?"  You'd be shocked to get anything more than, "Good" or "Okay."  Eye contact was very minimal, hand shakes were less than firm, and body language led you to believe that this young man had a lot of insecurities.  But what was it that caused him to be this way?  He was popular among the students, had plenty of friends, and was admired by many for his athletic ability.  Was it the fact that he came from a single parent home where he was the oldest male in the house?  Was it that he wasn't always up on the latest fashion trends?  Whatever it was, it all seemed to go away when he signed a letter of intent to play football at Garden City Community College in Garden City, Kansas.

Stepping onto the campus at Garden City, Travis believed that he would be fighting for a starting position at either receiver or free safety.  Burley's plans changed when he was forced out of action for a while due to an injury.  During his time off from football, Travis would venture into the gym and play pickup with the basketball team.  He would eventually catch the eye of an assistant coach (you would too if you dunked on the 6'9" starting center) and the word quickly got back to the head coach.  After evaluating his ability, the coaches sat with Travis and explained to him that he was the missing piece to their program's success.  Needless to say, he never touched the football field while at Garden City.  Over the next two seasons, Travis helped lead the Broncos to back to back NJCAA tournaments.

While the 6'4" monster of an athlete got bigger, faster and stronger, the 6'4" child was beginning to mature and develop into a young man.  Going from the comfy confines of Warrenton, Georgia to the unchartered land of Garden City, Kansas forced Travis to grow as a person.  As he says, "Going to Kansas helped me come out of my shell.  I had to talk and meet new people.  If I didn't, I wouldn't have any friends.  It helped me to be more open about things."  The transition was very noticeable when he came home for a visit after his first year there.  You could just tell that his personal confidence had grown.  You were getting firm handshakes, eye contact, and more than just those one or two word responses to questions.

After two seasons at GCCC, Travis graduated with his Associates Degree in Economics and enrolled in jamestown College in North Dakota on a basketball scholarship.  As his personal growth continued to improve, so did his game.  During his junior season, Travis averaged 14 points and 9 rebounds to lead the Jimmies to a 21-9 record.  He recorded 11 double doubles and brought the type of excitement to the Jimmies Gym as he did to the Screaming Devils Den.  He was voted Dakota Athletic Conference Player of the Week for his back to back double doubles in the DAC Tournament where he averaged 17 points and 14.5 rebounds in 2 games.  Burley was also named to the All Conference 2nd team and was chosen as the Newcomer of The Year.

For all of his athletic achievements, his most important achievements have come as a person.  Many of his former coaches, teachers, and friends have noticed a change in Travis.  No longer is he just the quiet, shy, and reserved guy many from Warrenton are used to seeing.  Now he is the cool, calm, charismatic young man that has become a first of his kind in his household; first high school graduate, first scholarship recipient, first to obtain a secondary degree, and the first to change the stars for his family.  He's made his mother proud.  She always encouraged him to not give up and to keep his head high even when things seemed to be at their worst.  With a future filled with possibilities, things could not be better for Travis.  A future coach, Travis has another year of basketball remaining and hopes to pursue his graduate degree as he plays a year of football for the Jimmies after this season.