During his four years as an Alliance High School student, Patrick Burse made a splash in swimming, in music and in the classroom.
Burse, who mastered time management to excel in his studies and two extracurricular activities, chose Baldwin Wallace University in Berea to continue his education.
“Their music conservatory is amazing, and I get a chance to continue playing music and swimming,” Burse said. “I’ve been able to [earn] a number of scholarships through the schools, both Alliance and Baldwin Wallace, to help pay the cost.”
Burse swam individual and relay events during his high school career. His individual events were the 100-yard breaststroke, 100 butterfly and 200 freestyle.
“My favorite event was the breaststroke,” Burse said.
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When he was a freshman, Burse joined juniors Will Rose, Ryan McKnight and Tommy Gress on the 200 freestyle relay. That quartet fared well in its last two postseason meets, placing eighth at the Division II district at Cleveland State and 16th in the state meet at the Canton’s Branin Natatorium. The quartet swam a time of 1 minute, 31.87 seconds during the consolation finals, which was an improvement over their district clocking (1:32.42).
“It was great swimming with older and talented guys like Will, Ryan and Tommy, and I was happy we made it to state,” Burse said.
Alliance High graduate Patrick Burse, encouraged by his parents, enjoys the challenge of playing drums
With father Brian and mother Lori possessing a musical background, he followed their lead, gravitating to drums. He stayed with that instrument, playing for nine years.
“I’ve enjoyed playing the drums, but it’s also a [challenge],” Burse said. “The hardest thing is doing so many diverse instruments and being able to lead the tempo.”
His high school musical background wasn’t limited to the band.
“I was also involved in Honors Choir,” Burse said.
When Burse, who also has played in the marching band, finishes his education, he intends on becoming a band director, following in the footsteps of his mother. Lori Burse is the band director at Mount Union and a music teacher at St. Thomas Aquinas High School. Before that, she was at Regina Coeli Elementary School as band director and an assistant band director at Marlington.
“I owe a lot to my mother and my father, who both still play music in a symphony,” Burse said. “They gave me exposure to music and I grew to love it.”
In addition to his studies, swimming and music, Burse has been involved with the Boy Scouts. He has been involved in the organization long enough to become an Eagle Scout, the highest-ranking stage, and is delighted with completing a challenging community service project to earn that honor.
“The project was [installing] a 40-foot flag pole at an Alliance park,” said Burse. “We didn’t install it, but we did the excavating work and painted it. That type of project and scouting itelf has taught me a lot about responsibility.”
So has balancing multiple activities.
“I’ve had a lot of help,” Burse said. “It starts with my parents, but it also involves a lot of other people who’ve cared about me. That shaped me as a student-athlete and I want to continue to grow in college.”
Focusing specifically on swimming, his athletic interest, Burse wants to continue approaching the sport the same way he did in high school.
“I ran track and cross country when I was a freshman, along with swimming, but I decided to concentrate on swimming,” Burse said. “While I didn’t continue those other sports, I learned the same thing from them that I’ve applied to swimming and to anything I try and that’s to do the best you can.”