If you’re going to be a defensive enforcer, it’s important to have the look of an intimidating force, something Sacramento State senior midfielder Katie Burton knows very well.

Decked out in a knee brace and “half-helmet” head protector as she calls it, Burton definitely stands out on the Sac State women’s soccer team’s backline.

“It’s really cool-looking,” Burton said of her distinctive head guard, the only such piece on the team. “(Teammates) have stuff to say, but usually good comments…they say that I pull it off.”

The armor is hardly for show, however, as both pieces play vital roles in keeping Burton healthy. The senior has had several knee surgeries and wears the knee brace to prevent any more in the future.

“It’s hard to get used to,” Burton said of the brace that she has played with all season. She has broken at least three of the braces so far this year, and was forced to leave a home game on Sept. 9 after breaking a brace. Sac State women’s soccer coach Randy Dedini said as a precaution, he will not let Burton play without the brace.

“We really want her to be an impact this year like we know she can be,” Dedini said. “So for right now, we’re trying to get her to conference.”

The “half-helmet” head guard prevents concussions, which plagued her last season.

“I had three or four concussions last year,” Burton said. “After so many, they just start happening frequently.”

Burton also suffered from a separated shoulder last season all because she leads with her upper body on the field to minimize the possibility of another knee injury, her teammates said.

“She’d rather land on her shoulder or get ten concussions then ever touch her knees again,” said junior midfielder Rebeccah Phillips, who has played with Burton for Phillips entire Sac State career.

Burton has good reason to protect her knees after missing the end of her freshman season and playing in only two games in 2004 due to knee injuries. Burton said she tore the anterior cruciate ligament, medial collateral ligament, lateral collateral ligament and meniscus in her knee her freshman year, which took six months to recover from. After the two games she played in 2004, she tore her ACL and meniscus once again and took a medical redshirt to salvage a year of athletic eligibility.

“A lot of girls in her situation might have just quit the game,” Dedini said. “But she loves the game so much that she wanted to work her way back from those pretty bad knee injuries.”

Burton was able to return to the team in 2005, and in 2006 she began her first completely healthy season since her freshman year. She made an impact on the backline as a defender for the Hornets and was an All-Big Sky Conference second-team selection. Her team also named her the Hornet’s defensive MVP.

“She’s just shown an incredible amount of resiliency in coming back and being an impact player whenever she’s on the field,” Dedini said.

Phillips said Burton’s strong return from multiple knee surgeries helped motivate her after she too underwent a knee operation.

“The reason why I’ve come back so strongly is because I’ve watched her play with all of her knee injuries,” Phillips said. “She’s a stud.”

“Watching people like Katie encourages you,” senior forward Katie McCoy said. “She’s amazing.”

Although Burton has not suffered any major knee injuries recently, she said she has developed a hole in the back of her kneecap that requires regular treatment with cortisone shots, but it does not affect her ability to play. She also said while she does not worry about injuring herself constantly during games, she is mindful of her past injuries.

“I get a little nervous about it because you never know what game is going to be your last,” Burton said.

She does not let any nervousness affect her game play. Burton said she still gives 110 percent on the field because of the possibility that any game could potentially be the end of a soccer player’s career.

“You don’t want to go out and feel like you didn’t give it your best the last time you ever set foot on the field,” Burton said.

Her selfless abandon on the field does not go unnoticed by teammates such as McCoy, who said she “couldn’t imagine not having her on the field.”

“Just watching her play with all of her heart makes everyone follow her example and listen to everything she has to say on the field,” McCoy said.

“When she’s not on the field, there’s a big difference,” Phillips said.

Dedini believes Burton is “very important” to the team’s success this year, and credits her as a big player in the Hornets’ ascension to conference title contenders.

“She’s been through it all and she’s ready to take that next step to the NCAA tournament,” Dedini said. “She’s one of the leaders that’s going to get us there.”

Although you won’t see Burton’s name featured prominently in the box score, since defenders rarely score many goals, she said it doesn’t bother her because “defense wins games.”

“You can save a game in the back,” Burton said.

The enforcement of the backline is also something that Burton takes enjoyment in.

“It’s fun to get into tackles,” Burton said. “I like it personally because you get to crack people sometimes.”

That’s something opponents might find out firsthand if they try to mock that protective gear.

“Other teams say stuff about the amount of armor that I have to wear,” Burton said. “And I just say, ‘try to get past me.'”

Fernando Gallo can be reached at [email protected].