Posted 4/1/08
UW-Platteville junior Tera Burr is a two-time all-conference softball second baseman from Shawano. Last year, she hit .495, the second-highest average in the history of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. She leads the Pioneers into Thursday's 3 p.m. doubleheader with conference favorite UW-Oshkosh at the UWP Softball Complex.
How did your spring break trip go? (The Pioneers were 5-4.)
"I was very excited over how we played. We have a lot of depth this year. The freshmen really came through, and the seniors brought back a lot of experience. Everyone came through when we needed to. I think that will make this team better than in years past."
One thing that jumps out is the ability to hit home runs. After a school-record 40 last year, the Pioneers already have 15 in nine games. You had two of the team's six home runs against Scranton, tying for the sixth-best team mark in NCAA III history. Is that something that is contagious or something you are looking to hit?
"Every time we come to the plate, we're looking for a base hit. We're not thinking home runs because that's when you get in trouble and you start hitting pop ups. Again, those were clutch situations when we needed to string some hits together. The hits just kept going, and we got to jog around the bases instead of running them. It can be contagious as far as a momentum-changer. In the Scranton game, we were down by 3 in the sixth and then tied it up and ended up winning by 10. 'It's never enough' is out mindset. We just keep going."
Last year you hit .495, the second-highest batting average in WIAC history. To what do you attribute your success? Good eyes, reflexes, mechanics?
"To me it's fundamentals. With the coaching I've had in my life, I've been taught that if you do the little things right on a constant basis, chances are you'll do them right in games; practice how you play. I personally believe in a ton of tee work. I've been told that if you can't hit the ball right while it's sitting on a tee, you're not going to hit it right when it's coming at you 60 miles per hour. So I believe in doing it right in practice. I also believe it's teamwork. I don't feel like I had that batting average; the team did. If it weren't for my teammates behind me, or the coaching, none of that's possible."
Do you like hitting in the clutch situations?
"That's my favorite situation in the world, to be in the bottom of the seventh, bases loaded and we're down three with two outs and a full count. I want to be up to bat. To me, I thrive on the pressure. That's what it's all about."
What is your most memorable moment?
"I would say all the road trips with the girls. As far as the most memorable game, it would probably be back to my freshman year (2006) when we beat second-seeded Oshkosh in the tournament. It was just classic style, in the bottom of the seventh. That was one of our greatest moments so far."
What kinds of things are you looking for this season?
"We have high expectations. In years past, we've had pretty small teams. In my freshman year we had 15 and last year we had 13. This year we have 24. We have depth, which is nice. The camaraderie is better than it's ever been. Expect good things from Platteville."
What originally brought you to UW-Platteville?
"Definitely the engineering. I went for my schooling first and foremost, and you're not going to beat Platteville. I'm also a country girl. I looked at Milwaukee, and that wasn't for me. I'm not a big fan of all the big buildings and concrete. I like grass, and I like trees. I love the atmosphere, and the student-teacher ratio is awesome. I had two criteria: engineering and softball, and Platteville had both. I would love to one day possibly own my own engineering firm."
Interview by Sports Information Director Paul Erickson