Quick Chat: Kaitlin Fournier
August 26, 2021 | Volleyball, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
Georgia volleyball freshman Kaitlin Fournier celebrated a birthday Wednesday. The 6-foot-2 middle blocker from tiny Elizabeth, Penn., just outside of Pittsburgh, celebrated her 18th birthday with some class, some practice and a Quick Chat.
Fournier's exciting week continues Friday when the Bulldogs open their season against Morehead State (7 p.m.), in the Classic City Clash at Stegeman Coliseum. Georgia will also play Winthrop at 10:30 Saturday morning and No. 22-ranked Pepperdine at 7:30 Saturday night.
During our Quick Chat, Fournier talked about the best birthday present she ever received, how she got started in volleyball, her small hometown with a population of about 1,500, postgame treats and much more.
Here's some of what she had to say:
Frierson: First off, happy birthday. What is the best birthday present you have ever received?
Fournier: I think it was 2018, three years ago, I got a dog. His name's Milo and he's supposed to be a mini goldendoodle. He's definitely not but he's really cute.
We would go on vacation and I would look at dogs the entire time, and I was obsessed with dogs. We already had one dog, he's a lab, his name is Roscoe, and I always a second one. I always wanted a pug but my parents didn't really like pugs, so we agreed on a mini goldendoodle after so much convincing.
Frierson: What is it like to go off to college a long way from home and leave Milo behind?
Fournier: It's sad that he's not here [laughs], I wish he was. I don't know, I was really scared to come down to college but now that I'm here and know everyone and I'm getting used to things, I feel like it's a lot easier of a transition. But I still miss all of my friends and family and my dog.
Frierson: How old were you when you first got started in volleyball?
Fournier: I was 11 turning 12, in seventh grade, and my older cousin, she was in the grade above me, and she played volleyball on the seventh-grade team. And when I was in seven grade she was telling me that I needed to try out.
I always played softball my whole life, so I was very stubborn. I was like, no, I don't want to play volleyball. She just convinced me to and I ended up liking it more than softball, and I quit playing softball my sophomore year.
Frierson: When did you get tall? Were you always the tall one in your classes?
Fournier: I was, I was. I have a picture of me on my soccer team when I was around 5, and I'm like a head taller than everyone.
Frierson: Tell me about home. When you think of home, what comes to mind?
Fournier: I think of, we don't have a lot in my hometown, obviously. It's really small and, I don't know, when I think of home I think of going to volleyball games and then going to a gas station afterward, because that's what we did for fun. There was no place to go, really, so we would always go to this GetGo that was just like home, and we would eat there. I don't know, there wasn't a lot to do.
Frierson: So you went to a convenience store after your matches? What would you get at the GetGo?
Fournier: I would get a smoothie or a protein shake. They had a lot of stuff. It was one of those gas stations that has a screen where you can order whatever you want. My teammates and a couple of friends would go there if we won a big game or whatever. It was kind of a tradition, I guess.
Frierson: Everybody needs a place to go.
Fournier: Yes. It was fun.
Frierson: Athens isn't a big city, and you were close to Pittsburgh growing up, but what has the transition be like living here versus Elizabeth?
Fournier: It's really cool being here. I think one of the big things for me when I was getting recruited by schools was, I wanted exactly what Athens is. I wanted it to be a college town, I wanted it to be nice, I wanted to go to a big school that had a lot of school spirit, and I think this couldn't be a better place for me. I'm really happy with my choice to come here.
(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)
Staff Writer
Georgia volleyball freshman Kaitlin Fournier celebrated a birthday Wednesday. The 6-foot-2 middle blocker from tiny Elizabeth, Penn., just outside of Pittsburgh, celebrated her 18th birthday with some class, some practice and a Quick Chat.
Fournier's exciting week continues Friday when the Bulldogs open their season against Morehead State (7 p.m.), in the Classic City Clash at Stegeman Coliseum. Georgia will also play Winthrop at 10:30 Saturday morning and No. 22-ranked Pepperdine at 7:30 Saturday night.
During our Quick Chat, Fournier talked about the best birthday present she ever received, how she got started in volleyball, her small hometown with a population of about 1,500, postgame treats and much more.
Here's some of what she had to say:
Frierson: First off, happy birthday. What is the best birthday present you have ever received?
Fournier: I think it was 2018, three years ago, I got a dog. His name's Milo and he's supposed to be a mini goldendoodle. He's definitely not but he's really cute.
We would go on vacation and I would look at dogs the entire time, and I was obsessed with dogs. We already had one dog, he's a lab, his name is Roscoe, and I always a second one. I always wanted a pug but my parents didn't really like pugs, so we agreed on a mini goldendoodle after so much convincing.
Frierson: What is it like to go off to college a long way from home and leave Milo behind?
Fournier: It's sad that he's not here [laughs], I wish he was. I don't know, I was really scared to come down to college but now that I'm here and know everyone and I'm getting used to things, I feel like it's a lot easier of a transition. But I still miss all of my friends and family and my dog.
Frierson: How old were you when you first got started in volleyball?
Fournier: I was 11 turning 12, in seventh grade, and my older cousin, she was in the grade above me, and she played volleyball on the seventh-grade team. And when I was in seven grade she was telling me that I needed to try out.
I always played softball my whole life, so I was very stubborn. I was like, no, I don't want to play volleyball. She just convinced me to and I ended up liking it more than softball, and I quit playing softball my sophomore year.
Frierson: When did you get tall? Were you always the tall one in your classes?
Fournier: I was, I was. I have a picture of me on my soccer team when I was around 5, and I'm like a head taller than everyone.
Frierson: Tell me about home. When you think of home, what comes to mind?
Fournier: I think of, we don't have a lot in my hometown, obviously. It's really small and, I don't know, when I think of home I think of going to volleyball games and then going to a gas station afterward, because that's what we did for fun. There was no place to go, really, so we would always go to this GetGo that was just like home, and we would eat there. I don't know, there wasn't a lot to do.
Frierson: So you went to a convenience store after your matches? What would you get at the GetGo?
Fournier: I would get a smoothie or a protein shake. They had a lot of stuff. It was one of those gas stations that has a screen where you can order whatever you want. My teammates and a couple of friends would go there if we won a big game or whatever. It was kind of a tradition, I guess.
Frierson: Everybody needs a place to go.
Fournier: Yes. It was fun.
Frierson: Athens isn't a big city, and you were close to Pittsburgh growing up, but what has the transition be like living here versus Elizabeth?
Fournier: It's really cool being here. I think one of the big things for me when I was getting recruited by schools was, I wanted exactly what Athens is. I wanted it to be a college town, I wanted it to be nice, I wanted to go to a big school that had a lot of school spirit, and I think this couldn't be a better place for me. I'm really happy with my choice to come here.
(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)
Assistant Sports Communications Director 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.
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