About Me

My name is Lauren Burg and I am a writer and photographer. Since I was little, sports have been a wonderful outlet for me to turn to when I need a few hours away from the stress of everyday life. I grew up as a huge football fan, always rooting for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, USF Bulls and Auburn Tigers. During the 2004 Stanley Cup run, I became a fan of the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team. When I went to my first hockey game the following season, I became hooked. Hockey remains a major part of my life. I also have recently become a big fan of Tampa Bay Rays baseball.

I started out wanting to be an author, finding writing to be another outlet for my feelings. Since then, beginning in earnest when I became a hockey fan in April 2004, I have realized that everyone, including athletes, have some sort of story to tell. In order to get their story out, they need the help of writers and photographers to tell their story in a way that is compelling to the reader.

At Largo High School, I was first given the chance to try my hand at writing for publication, first as a Staff Writer and then as the Sports Editor of the Packer Press, Largo High's student publication. In the spring of 2003, I did an internship with the Largo Leader as part of one of my final courses before graduation. In the fall of 2004, I enrolled at St. Petersburg College and quickly found the composition classes to be my favorite. I graduated from St. Petersburg College with my associates degree in July of 2006 and immediately enrolled in the Journalism and Media Studies program at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg. In my second year at USF, I was given the opportunity to become a high school sports correspondent for the St. Petersburg Times. I am grateful for this as I still work there today. Finally, this past summer, a good friend told me of a job writing blogs for the Tampa Bay Rays. I quickly inquired and was given the job covering Tampa Bay Rays games, helping me to expand my sports knowledge.

In my portfolio, I have included works I have done while a student at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg, along with St. Petersburg Times Prep Sports articles and blogs I did for the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team. Feel free to take a look at my work and enjoy!

Below are a few quotes I like to try to live by:

"Desire, desire- not having "quit" in you. It's easy to quit, it's easy to say it's too hard. Champions are winners. It's the "hard" that makes it great."

-Chris Dingman, member of the 2004 Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning.

"Be determined, keep your confidence, and keep your courage and good things will happen."

-Vincent Lecavalier, member of the 2004 Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning and one of only two players remaining from that championship team.

Hockey Photographs

Alternate Captain and Tampa Bay Lightning player Martin St. Louis answering questions from fans at the 2009 Tampa Bay Lightning FanFest which was held August 29th, 2009 at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa.

Tampa Bay Lightning players warming up before the October 22nd, 2009 game versus the San Jose Sharks at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa. The Lightning won that game 5-2.

SunSports Lightning TV analyst Rick Peckham interviews former Lightning player and Captain of the 2004 Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning Dave Andreychuk during a charity hockey game to benefit fallen Tampa police officer Cpl. Mike Roberts at the 2009 Lightning FanFest on August 29th, 2009 at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa.

Current Tampa Bay Lightning captain Vincent Lecavalier signs autographs for fans after a February 2009 Tampa Bay Lightning practice at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa that was open to the public.

2008-2009 Colorado Avalanche players (from left to right) Chris Stewart, Darcy Tucker and Ian LaPerriere watch from the bench during the December 2008 game between the Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa.

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Lukas Krajicek skates with the puck during a December 2008 Tampa Bay Lightning game at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa.

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Andrej Meszaros stretches before a December 2008 game at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa.

Members of the 2008-2009 Detroit Red Wings warm up prior to the start of their game versus the Tampa Bay Lightning on November 13th, 2008 at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa.

Tampa Bay Lightning players Martin St. Louis, Evgeny Artyukhin and captain Vincent Lecavalier warm up before a November 2008 game at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa.

Former Tampa Bay Lightning forward Mark Recchi gets ready for his turn to take a shot on goal during warm-ups before a November 2008 game versus the Carolina Hurricanes at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa.

NOTE: All of these pictures were taken during either the 2008-2009 or 2009-2010 season. Therefore, some of the players in these photographs are not still with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Mark Recchi was traded midway through the 2008-2009 season to the Boston Bruins. Dave Andreychuk has retired from hockey but still remains the face of the Lightning franchise seen at many Tampa Bay Lightning games. He also owns a restaurant(Andreychuk's) in Channelside across from the Forum. Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis are the only remaining pieces on the 2009-2010 roster from the 2004 Stanley Cup Championship team.

Where Am I?

It is a beautiful Sunday afternoon in late October and I am peering out my window at the cars passing by us. As we exit off Ashley Drive, I can see the house standing there alone to our right, crying out for neighbors. As we weave our way throughout the streets, barely missing pedestrians by the skin of our teeth, I see more and more people walking towards the big building which now looms straight ahead, towering over all others in that same area.
As we get closer, I begin to hear music floating through the crowds of people and hitting my ears like an angel singing to me. Outside the St. Pete Times Forum, I got so many black beads I began to look like the bead lady. We also walked over to the shark tank and watched all the little kids who wanted to pet the sharks for some reason and their parents telling them “No. The sharks aren’t for petting.”
Next, we went to go inside and, of course, had to get patted down first like we were fugitives on the run or something. They then checked my purse and also patted me down to make sure I wasn’t hiding anything under my clothes, as if you wouldn’t be able to see that from further away. Heck, I’m surprised we weren’t forced to strip right then and there!
Once we were finally allowed to enter the building, we stopped by the team store-upon my request, of course before heading to find our seats. I found three different shirts that interested me, and I wanted to buy them, but they were so expensive I could have bought three or more of the exact same thing at either Target or Wal-Mart for the price it cost to buy one there. We then quickly left and went to find our seats before I could find something else I wanted, or claimed to want, so very badly. As I sat down in my seat, I was so excited I felt like a little kid back at the circus again. At that time, I also noticed people all around me screaming-or was that me? I dug around for my camera as the lights dimmed and Thunder bug appeared. He was riding a tricycle around the ice and reminded me of the four-wheelers at the three ring circuses I went to when I was little. I began to snap photographs of him, all the while feeling like a little kid at her first circus. A few minutes later, the lights came on, practically blinding me and I heard the announcer say “Here are YOUR Tampa Bay Lightning…and the San Jose Sharks.” My boys then stepped onto the ice as everyone screamed crazily and busily snapped photographs of them, all the while acting like this were the last time they would ever see them.