University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Q&A With Priscilla Burns
1/29/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
How did you get into playing softball?
My sister is older than me. She played. She started with eight and under and I was the bat girl. My dad was the coach. Whenever they were winning, he would put me in to hit or play in the outfield. I loved it. It was something that my sister did, so I had to do it because she did it.
Was there a player you looked up to when you were young?
Definitely my sister. I was never big on watching softball. I am very antsy so if I watch it, I want to play it. I was never big on watching other people play, but I really loved going to see my sister play in college at the University of Dallas in Irving, Texas. It made me want to college ball. Everything she did, I wanted to do that too.
Was there a moment that you knew you were going to be successful at softball?
I got invited to the Adidas Top 100 when I was a junior. I played third base and I loved playing third base. I got picked and they would all me "Hands." At that moment, I felt like I was going to be able to play college ball.
During your athletic career, who has been your biggest supporter?
My dad. He is a coach at heart. Any time I come home, it is practice. We talk baseball. His dad played for the Yankees organization so they constantly talk baseball. Whenever I come home, all we talk about is softball. It is always healthy. He knows when to not say anything. With him, I think he is my biggest supporter because he knows me so well. He knows what to talk about and when to talk about it.
What is your favorite part about playing softball?
The intensity of it. I am very antsy and I always have to be moving. I talk a mile a minute and am very fast with everything I do. That is something that I have always loved about it. Out of any sport, I think softball is the most intense. I played different sports, but I loved the intensity of softball.
What was your most memorable moment playing softball?
I am not a power hitter. I was in high school and had never hit a home run in my life. I was at a tournament and this girl who was supposed to be one of the top pitchers in Louisiana was throwing. I hit a home run, but it was a terrible swing. It was a miss-pitch. My dad told me, "That was an awful swing, but you hit it over." I think that was the funniest moment for me. I am not a home run hitter in anyway and I hit one. It was my only one my whole life.
Why did you choose to play at Southern Miss?
When I chose Nicholls, I only chose it because of softball. I didn't look at the school. The second time around, I decided I would be smart about it. I chose a good business school before I chose softball. It just so happened that Southern Miss has a great business school and a good softball program. I think it was meant to be. I love it.
What has been your biggest achievement so far as an athlete?
In collegiate ball, it has to be coming back from tearing my ACL. Going from Nicholls, tearing my ACL, ultimately leaving the team, I decided that I was going to be a regular student. However, I couldn't do it. I couldn't not play. That wasn't enough for me. I could have gone DII or DIII because it is easier, but I want to do Division I. That was something I needed to do. I think doing that built up confidence for me. When I joined the team, I felt fully satisfied.
If you could play any other sport in college, what would you have played?
Volleyball. Working with marketing and having to work their games, I loved volleyball. I was watching it and I was in it. I became friends with most of the volleyball team because I would ask them questions all the time. It was so intense to me. I don't know how I feel about the short shorts though.
Did you play any other sports in high school?
It was more so when I was in middle school that I played other sports. When I got into high school, I had to make a choice. I did cheerleading and softball because it didn't conflict.
What is your major? Why did you choose that?
Business administration, but I have an emphasis in marketing. I was at Nicholls and I had a business marketing major. I came here and I assumed that all of my credits transferred, so I was in management. Last year, I actually checked and it said I was in entrepreneurship. I had to go to Miss Stacy (Breazeale) in academics and she told me the only way to graduate on time in the summer was if I changed it to business administration. I wanted to be in marketing, but if I went into marketing, I wouldn't have enough hours and would have to go another semester, which would push me back going to grad school. I chose business administration, but added the emphasis in marketing.
What are your plans for after graduation?
I am graduating in the summer because I wanted a realistic amount of hours this semester. I will graduate this summer. From there, I am going to try to get into graduate school. I have to take the GRE in February. I am trying to get a GA position with sports marketing here at Southern Miss because they have expanded it. I love working with Kyle (George) and Brent (Jones). That is a definite option.
How have you been able to manage your time between softball and school?
I go to softball and once I am done with that I go to study hall and work on my school. I think, especially with last year being on the marketing team, I learned a lot more about time management. I learned to really manage my time. I had to be a certain place at a certain time. I had to be at practice. I had to be at a sports marketing event. I have to actually plan out my days. I have to fit in school with practice and marketing. It took me three years to figure it all out. It is not easy.
What is your advice to any young softball players that want to play at the collegiate level in the future?
Choose your school first. I would choose because of the coach. I think you build a relationship with them. That was my problem at Nicholls, I didn't build a relationship with that coach because it wasn't the coach that recruited me. They make your time here what it is. With Coach (Wendy) Hogue, I realized that wherever she was, I wish I would have been. It has been so easy. I think that is what it is all about.
How have you been able to handle all the different coaches in your collegiate career?
I got a different variety and I think that helped me grow as a person. I have had to learn to deal with different people. I think that ultimately, it made me a better person. I didn't have the perfect situation, but I have learned to adapt and adjust. I think personally, I needed that in my life.
What has it meant to you to wear the Black and Gold?
This school is all about tradition. I feel so much pride in it. I know it sounds cliché, but people know you around here. You are a big deal. If you play a sport, you are a big deal. Where I was, it wasn't a big deal. They didn't really care. Here, to wear these colors and show that I am on the softball team, I have so much pride in it. It is something I have never felt before. It is the cherry on top and makes it that much better to be here.
