Petrie Committed To Helping Women's Basketball Program Improve

Feb. 22, 2001

Freshman Tara Petrie (Pickerington, Ohio) knows about the commitment needed in the game of basketball. As a dedicated player, she has experienced several years of successes and challenges.

Tara was a member of two state championship teams at Pickerington High School and finished her high school career with fourth team All-American honors from Women's Basketball Journal.

One challenge Tara has faced is injuries. She suffered a knee injury in practice during her senior year of high school. She was able to play only one game that year and sat out the remainder of the season.

Involvement in extracurricular activities is important to the Petrie family. Tara has a younger brother and sister. Her brother participates on his high school wrestling team and her sister is involved with fine arts and academics. "My mom wanted us to get involved with various things," she said.

Petrie has actually played soccer longer than basketball, starting in kindergarten. She also played the piano for close to seven years.

The 5-3 guard also finds enjoyment in reading and waterskiing. "My friends probably don't know that I like reading so much," she said. Her favorite waterskiing moment was at Lake Cumberland, Kentucky with friends.

Tara's attitude towards basketball is simple: "Have fun. Don't play just to get a scholarship. If it's not fun then it's time to find something else."

Tara is looking forward to the summer break in Mount Pleasant. She'll be living with fellow teammate Abby Lawinger and will be attending summer classes.

Staying healthy is a major goal for Tara in finishing out the season: "I need to stay positive about my injuries and keep having fun."

By: Andrea Wieczorek, Sports Information Assistant