From Softball to Service: CLARE BURNUM-DAVIS
Local hero inspires next generation
By Angie Helvey, Active Media
Canby is full of unseen angels: people who live and work in our community who contribute their time, talents, and hearts to leave a lasting impact. You may have seen Clare Burnum-Davis around town as one of our incredible Canby Police officers, but Clare’s history in Canby begins long before her career in law enforcement, in a time when she wore a different uniform — her Canby softball jersey!
Clare began playing softball with Canby Kids when she was nine or ten years old. “I fell in love with the sport right away,” she recalls. “What I love about softball is that you don’t have to necessarily be tall or super fast. Whatever unique skill you have is a benefit.” With a fierce passion for the sport and a strong drive to succeed, Clare earned a number of honors throughout her high school softball career, including three-time All-State selection, Pac 7 Conference Most Valuable Player her junior year, and Canby’s Female Athlete of the Year Award in her junior and senior years. Her high school batting average was a staggering 0.42!
As a highly sought-after recruit, Clare attended college at Oregon State University and played college softball for the Beavers, primarily as a third baseman. In her time at OSU, she earned all-Pac-10 honors every season, led the Beavers to the Regional round three years in a row, and graduated as the program’s all-time leader and record holder in doubles. Even through the busiest phases of school and softball, she continued to coach a local youth team.
After college, she went on to play professional softball for a combined seven seasons with the Texas Thunder, Philadelphia Force, and Akron Racers, but, true to form, Clare continued to coach, spending over six years as Canby High School’s Head Softball Coach, in addition to coaching college ball at Portland State University and an Elite traveling high school team. “I love it so much. I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to coach so many kids,” she says. “For myself included, sports have a way of preparing you for real life. It’s fun to watch the kids work towards their goals and dreams.”
Earlier this year, Clare presented the Maddi Higgins Memorial Scholarship, a process she’s participated in following the tragic loss of West Linn High School softball player Maddi Higgins in 2014. Clare was Maddi’s coach the summer before she passed, and Maddi’s father, Mike, started a scholarship fund in her honor that awards a scholarship each year to a student who plays sports and is in need. “It’s been great to see something good come from such a terrible thing. Her story lives on, and she’s able to give other kids amazing opportunities,” Clare says.
Though she retired from professional softball in 2010, Clare continues to coach youth softball, currently working with a traveling 10-year-old team. She’s been working in law enforcement for the last 15 years, including 11 years as a Milwaukie Police officer before returning to Canby. “It’s great to be back,” she says. “I love this community, and it’s cool to see all the places I used to play, like Maple Street Park and Lee Elementary.” She’s also enjoyed seeing the growth in Canby youth sports. “There are so many people who’ve put in the time to build programs and a competitive team. And so much of it is the parents — my dad never missed a thing when I was growing up, and I’m trying to do the same with my daughter.”
