Newsday Athlete of the Week is Hauppauge-Smithtown's Sofia Burns

In the last nine years, Sean Montalvo has watched Sofia Burns grow into the swimmer she is today.

“I’ve coached Sofia since she was about 8-years-old,” Montalvo, the Hauppauge-Smithtown girls swimming and diving coach said.  “I’m not only her high school coach, I’ve also been her club coach.”

Burns joined the varsity swim team as a seventh grader, and since then, she’s been able to prove her talent in the water.

“She works hard every day, she’s focused, and she doesn’t like to lose, which hasn’t happened much the last six years,” Montalvo said. "She's a very versatile and experienced swimmer."

On Wednesday, Hauppauge-Smithtown won their third consecutive Suffolk League I championship with 396 points. Burns placed first in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 52.91 and third in the 50 free with a time of 24.72. Both races had state-qualifying times.

“She was very prepared and ready to get it done,” Montalvo said.

Burns was also a member of the 200-yard freestyle relay team, along with Mary Grace Waring, Julia Lucca and Sarah Lucca, that won with a time of 1:37.77. 

“I was very excited,” said Burns, who attends Smithtown West. “I’m hitting all of the times that I want to hit right now, so I feel like I’m right on track for the rest of the season.” 

Hauppauge-Smithtown finished 7-0, earning back-to-back undefeated seasons, and has won 26 meets in a row.

“We’re all friends so we understand each other and know how to push one another,” Burns said. “We know what we’ve accomplished in the past, and we want to keep up with that.”

Burns is continuing her swimming career at Bucknell next year.

“I was looking for a team that made me feel at home like what I have here,” she said. “I loved the campus, and am looking forward to everything Bucknell has to offer academically and athletically."

But before she heads off to Pennsylvania, she has some goals she’s hoping to accomplish this season, starting at the Suffolk championships next week. “At the county championships, I want to place top three in all of my events and to win all of the relays,” Burns said.  

Last season, she placed 11th in the state in the 100-yard freestyle and 14th in the 50 free.  She was also a member of the state champion 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays.

“I’m shooting for A-finals in both of my events and just scoring as many points as possible for my team at the state championships" Burns said.

Montalvo says that Burns has left her mark on him, as well as the team.

"It's bittersweet to see her go since I've been coaching her for so long," he said. "I'm excited for her and this next chapter."