Northwestern University Athletics
First Year Veronica Burton Forges Her Own Path as Wildcat
4/1/2019 10:34:00 AM | Women's Basketball
By Emily Iannaconi
NUsports.com contributor
Anyone who has been around Northwestern long enough will recognize the name.
It can be seen on the list of first round draft picks that have graduated from the school – on football rosters dating back to the 1980s – written on the roster of the 1995 Rose Bowl team alongside Pat Fitzgerald – etched into the walls of Anderson Hall.
And most recently, the name is written on the back of Northwestern's first-year point guard, Veronica Burton, who enters her very first postseason with the Wildcats.
As the second quarter winds down to its final seconds, Burton grabs the pass from teammate Jordan Hamilton, dribbles into the corner and fires a last-second three to cut the deficit in Northwestern's matchup against Ohio in the WNIT quarterfinals. Welsh-Ryan Arena erupts as the ball sinks into the net. The buzzer sounds and her teammates run to her off the bench before heading into the locker room.
Some may interpret the lack of reaction as cockiness or perhaps disinterest. Those who know Veronica though, know that she comes from a family that expects excellence and preaches selflessness. Her face is not neutral because she's unimpressed – Veronica sees that her team is still down with a whole other half to play with the season on the line. And that's all that matters.
Veronica is the eighth member of her family to attend Northwestern. Her parents, Steve and Ginni, both were student-athletes at NU and her three uncles, aunt and grandfather, Ron, were also Wildcats. Steve and his brothers followed in their father's footsteps and played football. Ginni was a Big Ten Champion swimmer, narrowly missing the Olympics by a tenth of a second at the 1984 trials. Veronica's older sisters, Kendall and Kayla, played basketball at Lehigh and Villanova and Austin plays quarterback at UCLA. By attending Northwestern, Burton is simultaneously following in her family's footsteps and forging her own path as a Wildcat.
"When you're growing up, college is the main thing you're looking forward to," Burton says. "Playing at the Division I level is really exciting, so I think finally being able to be at a place where I worked for my whole life, that's surreal."
Long before Veronica stepped on the basketball court at the brand-new Welsh Ryan Arena at the start of the 2018-19 season, her grandfather, Ron Burton, made the decision to attend Northwestern – not knowing at the time that he would be starting a legacy.
Ron grew up in a poor family in Springfield, Ohio. He was set to attend Ohio State until his track coach told him to talk to the Northwestern football coach at the time, Ara Parseghian. According to Steve, Ara told Ron that he wanted to be the coach that beat Woody Hayes. Ron's hometown came together to put clothes in a suitcase to send Ron off to Northwestern.
"The rest is history," Steve says.
Ron went on to become an All-American running back for the Wildcats in the late 1950s and broke school records for most points in a career (130), most points in a season (76), and most career touchdowns (21). He went on to become the Boston Patriots' first-ever American Football League draft choice in 1960.
Steve says that Ron always said, if he ever made it, he wanted to give it all back. So he did.
Veronica spent her summers growing up at the Ron Burton Training Village in western Massachusetts, not far from her home in Newton. RBTV is dedicated to helping young men achieve spiritual, physical and educational growth. Ron died when Veronica was three years old, but the pillars of the camp - love, peace, patience and humility – serve as a lasting testament to his belief in the power of education and sports.
"Can you bring all of that to the court at the same time and still be competitive?" Steve challenges.
During the five-week training camp over the summer, Veronica joined the group of young men who woke up at 4:30 a.m. every day to run seven miles through the woods the same way her grandfather used to do – rain or shine – down a stretch of road that was called Highway 68 in Springfield.
Veronica calls camp one of the best times of the year because she was able to be around her family and be surrounded by the boys at the camp who became like family. She says that being at RBTV humbles her and makes her realize she is part of something bigger than herself. Practicing with the boys, most of who are from underprivileged families, also gave her perspective and made her more competitive.
"They definitely made me better," Burton says. "They showed no mercy. In my hometown, I played in the guy's league so it definitely helps me from a confidence standpoint knowing that I can compete with them. They didn't take it easy on me and I think that helped me and made me better and stronger because obviously, it's much more physical. It made me feel like I could go up against anyone."
Not only did Veronica play basketball with the boys all-year round, but she woke up early during the school year too, alongside the rest of her family.
"I was rebounding and Steve was catching footballs and if he wasn't catching a football, he was rebounding," Ginni says. "All six of us since Veronica was probably five years old. We couldn't leave her at home at 5 a.m. by herself so really as a family, we were getting up before school every morning all growing up. It's the work ethic that we grew up with. It's how I was wired, it's how Steve was wired."
Ginni says that her shot's not great but she's awesome at rebounding and can pass really well. As a former swimmer, she says that she was a technician and she therefore feels like she can help her children with the mental battle of being an athlete.
"Sometimes though, with Steve and I, we had to just back off and let them play and just be a mom and a dad," Ginni says. "Back off and just love them. If things don't go well, hug them. If they want to celebrate, celebrate."
It comes as no surprise that sports were never forced in the Burton household. Just like they do with the young men at RBTV, Steve and Ginni support their children in whatever dream they have. All they ask is that each of their kids works hard to achieve it.
"Sports was always a thing but doing whatever it is you do to the best of your ability – that was the bigger thing," Ginni says. "We didn't know who was going to be what. While we have some athletic genes in our family, I think that we have bigger work ethic genes."
Though there was never pressure to become a Wildcat, Steve says that he could not help but cry when he walked into Welsh-Ryan Arena for the first time to watch his youngest child play for his alma mater.
"I looked up and I said, 'Thank you, Lord, for allowing one of my kids to experience what I experienced,'" Steve says. "Before I took a seat in the stands, I was just welled up with emotion because I remember 30 years ago when I walked into that building and I'm like, 'Wow, my kid is allowed to be here.' I looked up to my dad and said, 'You have to be smiling right now. I know you're smiling right now."'
Veronica's high school coach, Joe Rogers, is not surprised by Veronica's humble demeanor. He said it reminded him of when she broke Newton South's points record, becoming the all-time leader at the school with 1,817 points by the end of her four years.
"When she actually broke it, I think she was super relieved," Rogers says. She did it about half-way through the year. We were up by about 20 and I was trying to take her out to give her some rest but she was about four points away."
Rogers says that Veronica was always the best player and still is in the history of the program. But he says that there is something else that separates her from other talented athletes.
"She's had success almost at every level and most people don't respond well to that," Rogers says. "She was conference player of the year as a freshman and came back as an even better player as a sophomore. Then did it again as a sophomore, came back better as a junior. Her ability to take in stride the success she's had and have the humility to keep working when she has that success, I think that as much as anything distinguishes her from a lot of other players who may be as equally talented as she is."
Rogers says that some players are motivated by being knocked down but Veronica never sees herself as knocked down, but as an opportunity to get better.
Aside from leading the Big Ten in steals, in the four games of the WNIT, Veronica has been a key contributor in the Wildcats' comeback victories. During her postseason run, Veronica is averaging 12.8 points per game, 4.5 rebounds per game, 3.3 steals per game and shooting .866 percent from the free throw line but she works every day as if she has something to prove.
"It's a great feeling when things are going well, so I want to keep that going," Veronica says. "I focus on [weaknesses] even if they're not as highlighted. I definitely personally recognize them and I try my best to work on those and stay humble through the success. There are so many ways I know I can get better and this team makes me want to be. We trust each other and I work everyday to keep their trust."
NUsports.com contributor
Anyone who has been around Northwestern long enough will recognize the name.
It can be seen on the list of first round draft picks that have graduated from the school – on football rosters dating back to the 1980s – written on the roster of the 1995 Rose Bowl team alongside Pat Fitzgerald – etched into the walls of Anderson Hall.
And most recently, the name is written on the back of Northwestern's first-year point guard, Veronica Burton, who enters her very first postseason with the Wildcats.
As the second quarter winds down to its final seconds, Burton grabs the pass from teammate Jordan Hamilton, dribbles into the corner and fires a last-second three to cut the deficit in Northwestern's matchup against Ohio in the WNIT quarterfinals. Welsh-Ryan Arena erupts as the ball sinks into the net. The buzzer sounds and her teammates run to her off the bench before heading into the locker room.
Some may interpret the lack of reaction as cockiness or perhaps disinterest. Those who know Veronica though, know that she comes from a family that expects excellence and preaches selflessness. Her face is not neutral because she's unimpressed – Veronica sees that her team is still down with a whole other half to play with the season on the line. And that's all that matters.
Veronica is the eighth member of her family to attend Northwestern. Her parents, Steve and Ginni, both were student-athletes at NU and her three uncles, aunt and grandfather, Ron, were also Wildcats. Steve and his brothers followed in their father's footsteps and played football. Ginni was a Big Ten Champion swimmer, narrowly missing the Olympics by a tenth of a second at the 1984 trials. Veronica's older sisters, Kendall and Kayla, played basketball at Lehigh and Villanova and Austin plays quarterback at UCLA. By attending Northwestern, Burton is simultaneously following in her family's footsteps and forging her own path as a Wildcat.
"When you're growing up, college is the main thing you're looking forward to," Burton says. "Playing at the Division I level is really exciting, so I think finally being able to be at a place where I worked for my whole life, that's surreal."
Long before Veronica stepped on the basketball court at the brand-new Welsh Ryan Arena at the start of the 2018-19 season, her grandfather, Ron Burton, made the decision to attend Northwestern – not knowing at the time that he would be starting a legacy.
Ron grew up in a poor family in Springfield, Ohio. He was set to attend Ohio State until his track coach told him to talk to the Northwestern football coach at the time, Ara Parseghian. According to Steve, Ara told Ron that he wanted to be the coach that beat Woody Hayes. Ron's hometown came together to put clothes in a suitcase to send Ron off to Northwestern.
"The rest is history," Steve says.
Ron went on to become an All-American running back for the Wildcats in the late 1950s and broke school records for most points in a career (130), most points in a season (76), and most career touchdowns (21). He went on to become the Boston Patriots' first-ever American Football League draft choice in 1960.
Steve says that Ron always said, if he ever made it, he wanted to give it all back. So he did.
Veronica spent her summers growing up at the Ron Burton Training Village in western Massachusetts, not far from her home in Newton. RBTV is dedicated to helping young men achieve spiritual, physical and educational growth. Ron died when Veronica was three years old, but the pillars of the camp - love, peace, patience and humility – serve as a lasting testament to his belief in the power of education and sports.
"Can you bring all of that to the court at the same time and still be competitive?" Steve challenges.
During the five-week training camp over the summer, Veronica joined the group of young men who woke up at 4:30 a.m. every day to run seven miles through the woods the same way her grandfather used to do – rain or shine – down a stretch of road that was called Highway 68 in Springfield.
Veronica calls camp one of the best times of the year because she was able to be around her family and be surrounded by the boys at the camp who became like family. She says that being at RBTV humbles her and makes her realize she is part of something bigger than herself. Practicing with the boys, most of who are from underprivileged families, also gave her perspective and made her more competitive.
"They definitely made me better," Burton says. "They showed no mercy. In my hometown, I played in the guy's league so it definitely helps me from a confidence standpoint knowing that I can compete with them. They didn't take it easy on me and I think that helped me and made me better and stronger because obviously, it's much more physical. It made me feel like I could go up against anyone."
Not only did Veronica play basketball with the boys all-year round, but she woke up early during the school year too, alongside the rest of her family.
"I was rebounding and Steve was catching footballs and if he wasn't catching a football, he was rebounding," Ginni says. "All six of us since Veronica was probably five years old. We couldn't leave her at home at 5 a.m. by herself so really as a family, we were getting up before school every morning all growing up. It's the work ethic that we grew up with. It's how I was wired, it's how Steve was wired."
Ginni says that her shot's not great but she's awesome at rebounding and can pass really well. As a former swimmer, she says that she was a technician and she therefore feels like she can help her children with the mental battle of being an athlete.
"Sometimes though, with Steve and I, we had to just back off and let them play and just be a mom and a dad," Ginni says. "Back off and just love them. If things don't go well, hug them. If they want to celebrate, celebrate."
It comes as no surprise that sports were never forced in the Burton household. Just like they do with the young men at RBTV, Steve and Ginni support their children in whatever dream they have. All they ask is that each of their kids works hard to achieve it.
"Sports was always a thing but doing whatever it is you do to the best of your ability – that was the bigger thing," Ginni says. "We didn't know who was going to be what. While we have some athletic genes in our family, I think that we have bigger work ethic genes."
Though there was never pressure to become a Wildcat, Steve says that he could not help but cry when he walked into Welsh-Ryan Arena for the first time to watch his youngest child play for his alma mater.
"I looked up and I said, 'Thank you, Lord, for allowing one of my kids to experience what I experienced,'" Steve says. "Before I took a seat in the stands, I was just welled up with emotion because I remember 30 years ago when I walked into that building and I'm like, 'Wow, my kid is allowed to be here.' I looked up to my dad and said, 'You have to be smiling right now. I know you're smiling right now."'
Veronica's high school coach, Joe Rogers, is not surprised by Veronica's humble demeanor. He said it reminded him of when she broke Newton South's points record, becoming the all-time leader at the school with 1,817 points by the end of her four years.
"When she actually broke it, I think she was super relieved," Rogers says. She did it about half-way through the year. We were up by about 20 and I was trying to take her out to give her some rest but she was about four points away."
Rogers says that Veronica was always the best player and still is in the history of the program. But he says that there is something else that separates her from other talented athletes.
"She's had success almost at every level and most people don't respond well to that," Rogers says. "She was conference player of the year as a freshman and came back as an even better player as a sophomore. Then did it again as a sophomore, came back better as a junior. Her ability to take in stride the success she's had and have the humility to keep working when she has that success, I think that as much as anything distinguishes her from a lot of other players who may be as equally talented as she is."
Rogers says that some players are motivated by being knocked down but Veronica never sees herself as knocked down, but as an opportunity to get better.
Aside from leading the Big Ten in steals, in the four games of the WNIT, Veronica has been a key contributor in the Wildcats' comeback victories. During her postseason run, Veronica is averaging 12.8 points per game, 4.5 rebounds per game, 3.3 steals per game and shooting .866 percent from the free throw line but she works every day as if she has something to prove.
"It's a great feeling when things are going well, so I want to keep that going," Veronica says. "I focus on [weaknesses] even if they're not as highlighted. I definitely personally recognize them and I try my best to work on those and stay humble through the success. There are so many ways I know I can get better and this team makes me want to be. We trust each other and I work everyday to keep their trust."
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