Allie O’Rourke

Competition is what drives Allie O’Rourke. Even as a young child, she set herself apart from her peers for her intense desire to win. “In elementary school, Allie knew she wanted to win,” said Megan James, Head Cross Country and Indoor Track & Field coach at Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School. “Her fierce competitive nature was evident at our district field day events.”

The first sport to capture O’Rourke’s competitive spirit was field hockey. She said her best friend wanted to play and needed a friend to play with, so O’Rourke joined her. Over time, they found others in their community that would later come together to create a dynasty.

“We’ve been on the same team and playing together since we were in second, third or even first grade for some of the girls,” she said.

This group of girls was special. O’Rourke and her team made the NYS Section 2 Class B finals four years in a row, taking home three championships. They captured Class B regional titles three years and two Class B state championships.

“We all had a special connection,” O’Rourke said. “We passed really well and we knew where each other were going to be. We all communicated well because we are all good friends. I think that really helped us.”

O’Rourke was twice named all-state in field hockey and was the Times Union player of the year in her senior year, but that elementary schooler that Coach James noticed at field day did more than just field hockey. Thanks again to the influence of her friends, O’Rourke joined James’ track & field program.

“When I first joined track in seventh grade, I was mostly doing it for fun and to be with my friends,” she said. “But a lot of the girls wanted to be distance runners. The more I ran distance, the more I absolutely hated it. I decided I did not want to run anything longer than two laps, so that’s how I ended up running the 800.”

Running a middle distance event like the 800 meter takes strategy and awareness of the other runners. That’s where her competitive nature gives her an edge. “I usually try to pace off of the people in my race,” O’Rourke says. “I’m not really a person that can run a fast time by myself. Winning races is more what I do.”

“Like many athletes from all levels and all sports, Allie has moments of self-doubt,” said James. “But by and large, she is not afraid to take a risk, and that often amounts to something great.”

That “something great” includes more local, state, and national recognitions than any athlete has ever earned at Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake. O’Rourke completed her high school career with nine school records and two Section 2 records. Along with a long list of sectional championships, she was a three-time All-American at the New Balance National meets.

When she’s not competing, O’Rourke spends her free time teaching others about the sports she loves. She coaches field hockey and track and field teams and organizes field hockey camps and tournaments in the local community. “She volunteers to coach our youth teams when we’re in need of varsity role models,” said Kelly Vrooman, Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School’s field hockey coach. “She sets a great example for the next generation.”

Clearly an accomplished athlete, O’Rourke is also an academic role model for young athletes. She achieved high honor roll for three years, was a member of three honor societies, and graduated with an Advanced Regents Diploma with BHBL Merit Seal. For her athletic and academic performance, she was a recipient of the scholastic award from the Greater Capital Region Track & Field and Cross Country Hall of Fame.

O’Rourke will join the Penn State track & field team in the fall, a program that boasts double-digit Olympic medalists and over 500 all-Americans. As Allie O’Rourke heads to State College looking to join those athletes that have gone before her, Coach James has additional goals for her: to always be happy to be there, to be in it, and to have the opportunity to compete in something that you love.

“Allie is a phenomenal athlete who is committed to creating a sustainable path for longevity in her sport,” James said. “I truly believe she is one of the most outstanding athletes we have in the Capital Region.”