You lived in Washington state, but you decided to come to Stout where your father, Terry Petrie, was the baseball coach. How did that affect your decision to attend Stout?
I have been a part of the UW-Stout athletic family my whole entire life. I grew up in the 80s attending basketball games, gymnastic meets, and swimming in the Johnson Fieldhouse. I watched the football games and homecoming parades on Saturday afternoon. I remember when the "new" addition of the fieldhouse was being built and we were excited for a huge multi-purpose gym and racquetball courts. I have so many great memories in the dugout at Nelson Field watching the incredible athletes my dad coached. Those guys were a part of our family. As a kid, the players seem so much older, and then my time came to wear a uniform which was such a surreal moment! I was a proud Blue Devil!!!
You played softball in high school, but it was slow pitch. What was your adjustment like playing fast pitch at Stout?
My freshman year at Menomonie High School I played fastpitch on the JV team. I moved to Washington my sophomore year where I attended Woodinville High School in Woodinville, Wash. Traveling teams were fastpitch but the high schools were still slow pitch. I played slow pitch my sophomore and junior year. It was my senior year the entire conference changed to fast pitch. My coach recognized I had speed and taught me how to slap. Yes, me…a slapper! During the Sammamish game, I had two strikes on me, so I switched back around. The pitch came in and I gave it a ride. We didn't have any fences back then, so it rolled for a long ways! It was my first official homerun!
What did you like most about competing in collegiate athletics?
I loved being part of a team. I loved being a leader. I liked the thrill and competitiveness of playing in a college sport. I enjoyed meeting other teams, coaches, and umpires. I loved being able to travel to other colleges.
What is the greatest lesson you learned from being a collegiate student-athlete?
I believe I am who I am today because I was a college athlete. I am dedicated, I am focused on my work, and I will not give up. Being a college athlete is not necessarily about winning or losing. It is about the lessons you will learn throughout your time.
Who was the most influential person(s) in your athletic career?
My dad was a big part of my career. Even though he was coaching at the same time, he was able to make a few games to see me play. My senior year, Chris Stainer took the head coaching position which was super exciting! She had been a rival at UW-River Falls and now she was OUR coach! Chris taught me so much in just one year. I was fortunate enough to become a part of her coaching staff for two years before I moved to Washington.
Which former Blue Devil student-athletes are you still in contact with?
Being the social butterfly, I am still in contact with almost all of my former teammates, thanks to Facebook! It never mattered to me if people played one year or four, you were still part of our Blue Devil family. Joy (Rengel) Doke has made a couple trips out to see us and we did a girls trip together to San Diego a few years ago. I also had Molly Harms, Janel (Krenz) Hoekenga, Jill (Tetu) Jacobsen, Kelley (Espey) Reich, and Julie (Newhouse) Felhofer come out to visit. We had a blast reminiscing about the old days as we were cruising out on the boat.
How would your teammates describe you as a person and as a student-athlete?
I think they would describe me a leader on the field. I used to love leading the cheers to get up pumped up and was probably the loudest on the field. Off the field, I was the life of the party. Since I was the older teammate from town, I seem to know where the fun places for us to go and socialize. I remember we had a joke that I was the "oldest in the league" because my senior year of playing ball I was 25 years old!
