Almost every athlete has the dream at one point or another of growing up and starring on the home team, being a hero in their home-town. This dream is what keeps many athletes in their respective states when it comes time to choose a college to play for and learn at.

Junior Boo Gillette, starting catcher for the Wisconsin softball team, is not your typical athlete. Gillette hails from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., a place at which most people in Madison would kill to attend school, especially at this time of year. Gillette abandoned her home state for the opportunity to experience the atmosphere, intensity and competition found in the Big Ten.

“We have a great stadium and just the atmosphere of being in the Big Ten was really impressive to me,” Gillette said.

Escaping the shadow of men’s sports and playing for a school where women’s athletics were prioritized was also a key factor in Gillette’s coming to Madison.

“I really like how they treated the female athletes here,” she said. “A lot of schools you go to, the females don’t even have their own weight rooms or facilities.”

With Gillette not being a native Wisconsinite, one might be led to believe she would not appreciate being a Badger as much as some home-grown players. That belief could not be further from the truth. Gillette has won the Badger Pride award in both her first two years at UW. The award is given to the player who most exemplifies the pride of representing the cardinal and white on a day-to-day basis.

“She is just somebody who bleeds red. She is a Badger through and through. She loves Wisconsin and is very proud to be a Badger,” head coach Karen Gallagher said of her spirited player. “When she puts that Wisconsin uniform on, you can tell she is very proud of herself and proud of what she represents. That is the type of player I want in this program: people who want to come here, play hard, work hard, get a great degree and help us be successful on the field.”

On the field, Gillette’s play has been extraordinary. Starting every game this year, she has played a major role in leading the Badgers to the early success of a 15-12 record, with Big Ten play still to come. Hitting clean-up, Gillette has been the most productive offensive player for the Badgers thus far, leading the team in RBI’s (21), extra-base hits (11) and walks (10), while second on the team with .333 batting average.

“We have been working on our mental game a lot more this year,” she said. “Just trusting yourself and knowing you have all the tools it takes to be a good hitter if you just sit back, trust your hands and swing through the ball. Just confidence and your mental game.”

“She has obviously been a great offensive player for us and really come through in the clutch and taken the team on her back,” Gallagher said. “When you have your No. 4 hitter driving in runs, that’s exactly what you want to do. She’s confident right now. She’s seeing the ball well, putting the ball in play hard. She is coming up with key hits when we need it.”

Gillette’s impact has not been limited to her offensive game. Defensively, Gillette has been a pillar of consistency. The team’s Defensive Player of the Year her freshman year, Gillette has continued her stellar play behind the plate, leading the Badgers with a perfect fielding percentage while throwing out 15 base runners attempting to steal.

“Boo has made some big plays, picked off people at the right time and has killed rallies for the other team with big plays,” Gallagher said. “I’m really enjoying watching her do what she is doing behind the plate for the team this year.”

Gillette sees herself as a defensive player first and realizes she not only has to field well as catcher, but also work well with the pitcher to create good chemistry and make sure the battery is on the same page.

“Catching is my favorite part of the game. I like hitting, but I’m totally a defensive player,” Gillette said. “When you are a catcher, you are like a quarterback. You can see everything. If your game is off, your pitcher’s game is going to be off and if her game is off, everyone’s is off.”

Gillette feels she needs to be a leader and guide for the youthful Badger pitching staff.

“I would view me pretty much as a developer, because we have a really young pitching staff,” she said. “I need to give them the confidence they need to know that they can get in there, in the big games and pitch.”

The UW pitchers have excelled so far this season, with Gillette behind the plate posting a 2.86 ERA collectively.

“The pitchers feel real confident with her and secure with her,” Gallagher said. “It’s not only about catching and calling a game, it’s how you make the pitcher feel.”

Gillette’s excellence has not gone unnoticed to those outside of Madison. Gillette was named Big Ten Player of the Week March 2, the first time she has received the honor, though almost definitely not the last. Gillette admitted with a grin that she was ecstatic when she received the news via e-mail, but kept the award in perspective, noting that it is just a sign she is helping the team achieve success.

“I was so excited. It’s just that this year we aren’t thinking about the stats,” she said. “It’s more just ‘get your job done and everything will work out.'”

Gallagher has no doubts about the caliber of player she has in her star catcher.

“Great players have the ability to make their teammates better, and she does that,” Gallagher said. “Her game has accelerated to the point where she is going to be one of the top Division-I hitters and catchers this year.”

Gillette sees herself differently, though. She views herself as a contributor to the greater good of team success and wants nothing more than increased success for the Badgers.

“As a team, I just hold the expectation that we step up,” she said. “We have everything it takes to be good … if we win every inning, one through seven, we should be alright.”

With Gillette on their side, the Badgers could give the university even more to take pride in. Not that Gillette needs any more.