NCSA caught up with basketball standout Russ Burns about his high school career and the opportunity to compete at the college level.
NCSA: What motivates you before a big game?
Burns: My pre-game ritual has been the same for the past couple of years. It involves eating a cheeseburger and a chocolate shake two to three hours before game time, listening to my I-Pod and thinking about the upcoming game.
NCSA: What are you looking forward to if and when you get the opportunity to play at the collegiate level?
Burns: I have always had the dream of living on a college campus and competing at the college level. At a young age, I enjoyed going to see Loyola or DePaul play. I also enjoyed the college visits I took with my uncle when I was younger. All of this had a big influence on me wanting to go to college and wanting to play at the college level.
NCSA: Why did you get involved in basketball?
Burns: Basketball is a big sport in my family. My uncles and father have all played high school basketball, and my sister is currently playing at the grade school level.
My father and mother started me playing basketball at the age of five. My Father has stressed from the very beginning that I play good defense, work hard and play team basketball. As for an athlete that I admire, it would be Scottie Pippen of the Chicago Bulls. Pippen was not well known, not a ranked player in high school, and most colleges did not want him. In his first year in college he was the team manager. He never gave up and kept working hard. That is why I have always chosen to wear #33.
NCSA: Tell us about your interactions with college coaches so far.
Burns: What I have learned from most of my interaction with college coaches is that most of them have been very honest and fair with me. I am also honest with them and I make sure that I respond back to them even if I am not sure if I am interested. I have received a lot of mail and phone calls from D2 schools and some mail, phone calls, and I have visited some D1 schools.
The most interesting letter I have received is from a head coach that is interested in recruiting me, although for now he wants to make sure that I focus on my high school team and make it the best it can be. Every day I should be on time, work hard, get things done on time, prepare mentally and physically and stay positive.
NCSA: How is your team doing so far?
Burns: I am pleased with my current high school team and feel we are doing well. We have a new coaching staff and new head coach. I really like my coaches for many reasons. They care about every member on our team and will take the time to make sure we are doing all the right things in the classroom, on the court and off the court and will schedule one on one sessions with each team member to see where we are at, and what we must improve on.
This year we seem to be a much underrated team, but we are getting better each game and I see us making a lot of noise during the state tournament in early March.
NCSA: What are your goals athletically, academically and in your community for the rest of the school year?
Burns: My goals athletically are to keep working on my game. (Shooting, dribbling, running every day and working on weights.) I also make it a point to learn all I can from my high school coach.
I have also been working very hard in the classroom this year. My goal academically is to keep bringing up my GPA and to do well on the ACT Test.
One of my future goals is to receive my bachelor and master’s degree, because I would like to be a sports agent.
