University of Georgia Athletics
A Quick Chat With ... Kennedy Shaffer
April 28, 2016 | Women's Tennis
By John Frierson
UGAAA Staff Writer
Kennedy Shaffer has a big smile and, when she wants to show it, a big personality. The Georgia women's tennis sophomore admits that she can be a bit shy in social situations, but that's certainly not the case on the court, where her mood is seldom a secret.
The sophomore from Rossford, Ohio, has had a big second season with the Bulldogs, primarily playing (and winning) at No. 2 singles for a fourth-ranked Georgia squad that has been ranked in the top 10 throughout the spring. Shaffer is 10-3 at No. 2 singles, 19-3 overall in completed dual matches and was 12-2 in SEC play. Clearly she had plenty of reasons to smile on the court.
This week Shaffer earned her highest singles ranking yet in the latest ITA poll, No. 36, and she was named second-team All-SEC for the second straight season. Shaffer went 10-1 in SEC play as a freshman.
On Thursday she sat down for a quick chat about playing with a lot of emotion, getting creative during her quiet time and much more. Here's some of what she had to say:
Frierson: One of the things I like about watching you play is how open and expressive you are on the court. Whatever you're feeling, it shows, for better or worse. Have you always been that way?
Shaffer: Yeah, that's kind of been my personality trait since I was little. My mom would always tell me she could see exactly what I was thinking through my face — and that's on the court and off the court. But I prefer it that way. It's like there's no line; you always know what I'm telling somebody and I prefer that honesty.
Frierson: I like seeing it because so many other players in college and the pros are so contained, which I guess sometimes can be healthy, but I also think it's a sport and a game and it's certainly more entertaining when you see players' personalities.
Shaffer: I agree. I think if there's something that you're passionate about, you should show that you're passionate about it. I love playing, I love competing, so I'm not going to dull that down. There might be times when you're a little more calm or a little more excited, but I don't think there's anything wrong with having a healthy dose of emotion come out. I never try to filter myself.
Frierson: What's the funniest or weirdest thing you've ever experienced on a tennis court?
Shaffer: I honestly consider myself just a weird experience as a player. (Laughs) The things I say to myself, my facial expressions. ... (Thinking)
Last year when we played South Carolina, I shanked a serve and I knocked the racket out of [doubles partner Silvia Garcia's] hand. We're playing doubles so she's on the same side of the net as me, and then five minutes later she did the same thing. That's probably the weirdest thing I think I've ever seen happen on a court. It was really strange.
Frierson: What do you do in your quiet time, away from tennis?
Shaffer: I love reading and writing and music, stuff like that. I'm very down in my down time. I just enjoy relaxing and having a good quiet time with a good book or maybe a little bit of writing, or just being with my family.
Frierson: What are you writing? Is it your thoughts in a journal-type thing or is it creative writing?
Shaffer: It depends on the day, but not as much journal writing. I've always just really loved creative writing, stories that are like [snap of the fingers] spur of the moment stories. If I like it I maybe try to keep going, or if I don't I start over.
I think sometimes it's healthy to get what you're thinking or feeling on pages. Sometimes people don't like to talk about it and I am one of those, and I prefer to just write it down.
Frierson: Is creative writing or writing in general something you'd like to pursue after college?
Shaffer: It really is. I had a lot of teachers when I was growing up tell me that they saw some very mature writing all through my education, so I've always prided myself on that. I would love to pursue that, but that's like a one-in-a-million type deal, so who knows?
Frierson: That kind of takes care of my next question; one of the questions I always as is: what's the most creative thing you do, or what's something creative that you'd like to do?
Shaffer: That pretty much sums it up. I'm not very out there in many other aspects.
Frierson: But is there something else you'd like to do?
Shaffer: I want to be fluent in multiple languages. If I had one thing I'd like to be able to do it's speak a couple of different languages, because I want to travel, too. Isn't that the perfect dream: write, travel and not do anything else with my life, have no cares in the world?
Frierson: What's something you've learned or discovered in the last 12 months or so that you're really happy you've learned it? It can be a book or movie, a restaurant you've started going to, a life lesson or whatever.
Shaffer: It would be a life lesson and I think what it would be is how much you should appreciate the support of those around you. As I said, I'm not normally one to talk openly to people, so the last couple of months I've really been trying to take advantage of that, and I've been really treasuring the support of my teammates and my family, who have been behind me — my teammates not as long of course and my family for years.
I'm really just trying to appreciate how special it is to have something with the girls that I have in that locker room, because as the accident [Wednesday night's car accident in which four Georgia students were killed] just showed, you really don't know. Life is so short and you never know what's going to happen tomorrow. My parents raised me to believe you need to treasure every moment and be very grateful toward those who help you, and that's something I really try to do.
Frierson: I have a hard time picturing you as not being outgoing, based on watching you play and my other interactions with you. I'd say you're one of the more outgoing people I've encountered lately.
Shaffer: A lot of people say that and to be honest I really don't know why. I get really nervous and I think sometimes it comes across as like I'm being very friendly. Honestly, social situations intimidate me extremely so it takes a lot for me to come out of my shell, but once I do I feel very comfortable. But up until that point, I'm very self-conscious of basically everything.
Frierson: Well, part of what college teaches you is how to be around people. Every day you're in a classroom and probably one with more people than you've ever been in a class with before.
Shaffer: I'm one of those people that's very afraid to speak up in class because I'm kind of afraid that on the spot I won't be able to perform, which is ironic because I love big points and I love pressure situations. Go figure, it's my least favorite thing off the court.
John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He's also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.
Players Mentioned
