Daily Egyptian:First of all, what got you into softball?

Katie Kloess:I started playing softball when I was really young. My mom is the softball coach at our high school in our town. My dad played fast-pitch for a long time. My mom played in college. I grew up with softball. A lot of my family played it, so that’s how I got into it.

DE:How do you describe yourself as a player?

KK:I think I’m a competitor. I think I’m a team player. I think I go out there and give my all all the time and try to help my team. Whatever I can do to win.

DE:How about away from the field?

KK:I think I’m a fun, outgoing person. I like to talk to people and get to know people. I just like to have a lot of fun.

DE:With the new stadium opening in three weeks, how excited are you about taking the mound for the first time?

KK:I think it will be really, really awesome. I didn’t know if we’d get to see it. I’m a senior, so I didn’t know if I’d get to see it happen. I’m really excited to get to play in the stadium my senior year. To be on the mound is going to be really awesome.

DE:Have you been out on the field yet?

KK:No. We did get to see it one time. It was still not even close. I want to wait until the very end and see all of it at one time. Some people have seen it at different stages, but I just want to wait until the very end.

DE:What type of preparations do you go through before a game?

KK:I’m kind of superstitious. I try to stay focused. On the field and off the field, I try to prepare myself before the game. I try not to think a lot about it before I go out there. I don’t like it when people jinx me. I’d rather just go out there and not think about it and just stay focused.

DE:How do they jinx you?

KK:I don’t know. When it gets late in the game, people say, “Oh, you have a no-hitter going.” Or, “So-and-so has only gotten this.” Kerri (Blaylock) knows. She says, “You threw against this team really well last year so I know you’re going to…” I just have a lot of superstitions. I like to go out there and not think about who the opponent is. A faceless team. Just go at them.

DE:Do you get scouting reports on each batter?

KK:A little bit. I do like to know that. I like to know what their strengths are. I don’t like to know what they do or who they hit off of and who they haven’t hit off of. I try to avoid knowing exactly what they’ve done. Kerri knows a lot and she calls a lot of my pitches. She stays away from their strengths.

DE:Getting away from softball, who does your hometown of Belleville compare with Carbondale?

KK:It’s similar a little bit. Belleville is a little bit bigger and has more things to do there. It has more places to go and hang out. Carbondale has more local things to do like local restaurants and family owned things, and that’s what is neat about Carbondale.

DE:Aside from friends’ houses, where do you like to hang out?

KK:I like to go to movies. During the season, we don’t have a lot of time besides going to someone’s house.

DE:You’re majoring in special education. What do you hope to do with that?

KK:I want to teach in a special ed. room sometime. I like to teach little kids. Kindergarten or pre-k. Special ed. Kids with autism.

DE:Now I have a few short-answer questions for you. What is your favorite television show?

DE:Who is your favorite character on “Friends?”

KK:Monica. A lot of times people say I act like her.

DE:What is your favorite movie?

DE:I know everyone burns CDs right now, but is there any CD out that is worth paying for?

KK:I just bought the Tim McGraw and the Faith Hill CDs.

KK:I’m into kids’ books a lot because I’m going to be a teacher. I don’t really read a lot of older novels anymore. I like anything by Eric Carle. Things like “The Very Hungry Caterpillar.”

DE:What is your favorite restaurant?

KK:I like Quatro’s. I like a cheese pizza and their salad.

Reporter Christopher Morrical can be reached at [email protected]