A faded poster of Tera Marie Ross clung to the front of the Jacksonville State softball stands after a tornado eight years ago tore through the campus, destroying the scoreboard, backstop, light poles, and bleachers. The storm took much, but it left that tribute in place.
Ross, a standout pitcher from 2001 to 2003, died in a car accident in Florida on December 10, 2003. Yet her influence remains deeply rooted at Jacksonville State University, especially through the annual Tera Ross Memorial Softball Tournament. This past Saturday marked the 19th edition of the event, held at Choccolocco Park.
“It’s amazing that after all these years, they still do it,” said Jami Ross, Tera’s mother. “It’s because we’re family. They made us their family, and we love them.”
The tournament is an exhibition event that follows NCAA rules allowing softball programs to face outside competition during the offseason. Jacksonville State invites mostly community colleges, ensuring every team plays at least a couple of games. The tournament began as a collaboration between former coach Jana McGinnis and Greg Bagley from Oxford parks and recreation. After McGinnis retired in 2024, assistant coach Julie Boland took over and continued the tradition.
McGinnis reflected on Ross’s legacy. “It’s just so hard to explain how much Tara meant to our program, what she meant to the university,” she said. “But we wanted to do something to carry on her legacy. We wanted people to not forget about Tara, and we especially wanted to pass it down to the players that wear the jersey.”
During the tournament, all Jacksonville State players wear Ross’s No. 31 on their backs. Before the event, they watch a film about her life and career. McGinnis said this helps new team members understand who Ross was as a person and athlete, and how she represented the program.
“31 is everywhere at our field because of Tera, in our locker room, it’s always been special,” McGinnis said. “So we wanted our players to wear it.”
Ross’s reputation on the mound was tough. McGinnis recalled a 2003 Gadsden Times story describing how Ross took a hard-hit ball to the chest but shrugged it off, picking up the ball and throwing out the runner at first base. “She put on a persona that people thought, ‘Well, we’re not going to mess with her,’” McGinnis said. “But off the field, she was just the sweetest.”
Ross was also known for her generosity. She stayed on campus over Thanksgiving during her junior year to cook a traditional meal for teammates who couldn’t go home. Before Christmas break in 2003, she collected her teammates’ home phone numbers to stay in touch.
“Tara was out playing with the little kids, talking to the kids,” McGinnis said. “She never let a kid pass without talking to them.”
Ross majored in family and consumer sciences, aiming to become a wedding planner. She told teammates she’d plan their weddings when the time came. She also helped the senior citizens near where she lived by baking brownies and tending their gardens.
Terry Ross, Tera’s father, said she had offers from larger schools but chose Jacksonville State because she felt it was home. “When she visited Jacksonville State, she said, ‘This is where I want to go. This is home,’” he said.
The connection between the Ross family and the university remains strong. They attend the tournament every year and have grown close to McGinnis. When the Jacksonville State softball field was renamed for McGinnis in 2023, the Ross family joined the coach’s family on the field for the dedication.
The tournament continues to honour Tera Ross’s memory through the players who wear her number and carry forward her spirit.
According to Yahoo Sports.
