University of Georgia Athletics
Quick Chat: Kendall Burton
May 17, 2018 | Softball, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
Sitting on a comfy couch in the Georgia softball coaches' lounge at Jack Turner Stadium on a rainy Wednesday morning, a little more than 50 hours from the start of the NCAA tournament, senior outfielder Kendall Burton appeared at ease.
If you know Burton's story, which earlier this season was very well told on ESPN.com, then you know part of why she's at ease with the world. But another reason is because she likes the Bulldogs, likes all the work she and her teammates have put in — work that has resulted in 43 wins and a No. 7 overall seed.
Georgia opens NCAA play Friday at 2:30 p.m., against Harvard. For more information, visit the Tournament Central page.
During Tuesday's Quick Chat, Burton, from Missouri City, Texas, talked about this team, this season, taking doodling pretty seriously and much more. Here's some of what she had to say:Â
Frierson: What does it feel like to be at this point in the season, where everything you've been pushing for is in front of you?
Burton: It's awesome. I know it's basic, but it's fun to see all the work we've put in and how well we've done this season. It's just fun knowing that it's anyone's game at this point in the season and you've just got to take it one game at a time — and we're obviously striving to win the World Series.
It's just cool to be able to see exactly where we've got to go.
Frierson: Has any part of this season surprised you?
Burton: No, not at all. I knew, we all knew, everyone on the team knew what we were capable of. Basically, there's no surprise in what we've done and how amazing our season has been.
Frierson: Where would you go if you were given all the time and money you needed to travel anywhere in the world? And who would you take with you?
Burton: I would want to go to Greece, and I would take my sister with me.
Frierson: Why Greece?
Burton: I've just heard amazing things and seen a lot of pictures.
Frierson: Is there one really interesting place that you've been to and want to go back again one day?
Burton: I've only been out of the country once, to Mexico, but if we're talking in the United States, Lake Tahoe was really beautiful when I went, and I would go back.
Frierson: What's the best place that softball has taken you? Between travel ball and college, I'm sure you've seen a lot of the country.
Burton: I actually went to Lake Tahoe because we had a tournament in Reno, Nev., and we got to go to Lake Tahoe on that trip. But I've been to California, Colorado, and Colorado is really pretty too, and so is New Jersey in the fall.
My opportunities have been awesome and I've been really blessed.
Frierson: What's next for you, after the NCAAs?
Burton: I finish school next May, so that's awesome. Basically, I'm just going to be living the life of a non-athlete and getting my degree, and trying to figure out what I'm going to do with it (laughs).
Frierson: Is it going to be weird not being a student-athlete anymore and not having so many demands on your time?
Burton: It's definitely going to be weird, but it happens, everyone's time comes. I'm excited to just to be able to be their biggest fan next year. My teammates now, there's only three of us leaving, so I'm excited that I get to graduate next May because I'll be here in Athens and get to go to every game I want.
Frierson: When you think of your home or hometown, what come to mind?
Burton: My parents and my sister and my brother-in-law and my nephew, and my other nephew that's on the way, he's due in a month. That's what I think of when I think of home — Texas, Lone Star State, nothing better (laughs).
Frierson: What's something you could eat every day and never get tired of it?
Burton: Crawfish or sushi. I absolutely love crawfish, I wish it was a year-round thing, and I hate that Georgia doesn't have crawfish.
Frierson: That's an interesting juxtaposition, because you have the cooked and heavily spiced crawfish and then you have the raw, pure sushi.
Burton: Yes, I just love fish. I'd rather eat fish over chicken any day.
Frierson: What's something you could never eat again and be fine with that?
Burton: Honestly, regular fries. Love sweet-potato fries, but regular fries, I don't really care for them.
Frierson: I'm the opposite, the sweet-potato fries just don't do anything for me.
Burton: I just love sweet-potato fries. I feel like as a kid it was ingrained how bad for you regular fries are, so I'm just like, I'm good without it.
Frierson: What's something creative you do, or wish you could do?
Burton: I have a big hobby, I have this big chalkboard in my room and I doodle on it all the time. I wish I was a better artist, but my doodles are fine for me.
Frierson: Is that what the chalkboard was for or was it initially like your daily planner or something?
Burton: No, it was always meant just to have it for that. I've had it since my freshman year in college [at the University of Texas at San Antonio], so it's been at all the universities with me.
My sister and I, we went to Home Depot and we actually ended up buying a really light door and then got the paint and painted it. And now I have a chalkboard.
Frierson: Do you find yourself doodling the same types of things and getting better at it? Or is it more of a random, in-the-moment thing?
Burton: I guess it's just more of a random thing, little pieces that I put together, and I try to make the whole board collaborate as one.
Frierson: If you could be great at any sport just for one day, just to experience it, what would it be?
Burton: Let me think about that. ... I'm going to go out on a limb here and say the diving, the high diving. That would be cool. I hate swimming, I'm a terrible swimmer, so anything swimming related, not really into, but I've always been very fascinated with the high dive.
(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)
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.
