PSAC Student-Athlete Feature - Chelsea Kendall Wednesday, April 4, 2012 10:38 AM ARCHIVED PROFILES CHELSEA KENDALL Shippensburg - Management Major Downingtown / Downingtown West HS Kendall has been a key starter and reliever as a pitcher for Shippensburg's softball team over the last three seasons. In 2011 she had a breakout season in which she threw a team-high 126 innings while helping lead the Raiders to 13-3 record while claiming the top seed out of the PSAC Eastern Division. As a junior she collected nine wins while tossing 14 complete games and registering 118 strikeouts. Those numbers were a significant increase from her sophomore campaign (91 - 8 - 64). Why did you choose Shippensburg? I fell in love with Shippensburg when my high school softball team played here in our state finals in my freshmen and sophomore years. As soon as I visited the school and met Coach Brookens, I never visited anywhere else. What are your career plans? As of right now, I ask myself that same question. I would love to work for a German-American company in the marketing department. Possibly marketing research. I have also always wanted to be a Phillies ball girl for a few seasons so… Who knows? What is the thing you’ve enjoyed most about college? The friendships I will have for the rest of my life. There are three other seniors on my softball team that I know that I will stay friends with after we graduate. Those three know everything about my life. We have talked every day for the last four years and I would not imagine myself if I had never met them. What is the best advice you’ve ever been given? “Alles passiert aus einem Grund.” It’s German for “Everything happens for a reason.” This quote has helped me out of hard times and makes me realize life will go on. What is your top collegiate athletics memory? The last game of every year always stands out in my mind. When the few seniors finally realize that they played their last game of softball ever and their career is over. It always breaks my heart. ... your most memorable athletic accomplishment throughout your life? As a freshman in high school, I walked on the varsity team. This was the year that changed my outlook on softball. My high school coach gave me the chance to prove myself… and I did. Our team made it from the 23rd out of 30 seeded teams in the county to the third. We upset eight teams in a row and made it to the state championship game. We did lose, but the trip there will never be forgotten. Who is your favorite athlete and why? Jimmy Rollins. I am an avid Phillies fan and I believe that Jimmy will always be a part of the team. He has been for 12 years and I will be heartbroken if he ever leaves. He always seems to be able to pick his team up and can lead them in any kind of situation. What is your favorite pro sports team? Phillies. Hands down, no other team can even compete. Among athletes in the family, where do you rate? Both my parents are very athletic. My brother, Jamie, just recently graduated from Shippensburg and he was on the swim team for four years. My sister, Alexandra, could have played volleyball at a smaller school but she decided to focus on studies at James Madison. I also have an 8-year old sister, Lily, who thinks she is an all-star at every sport. I don’t think I can rank myself compared to my family’s athleticism. If I could change one thing about the sport I play, it would be: Eligibility to play for more than four years. What’s on your Ipod during pregame? “It’s alright to be a redneck” Alan Jackson. Pretty much anything that has a BANJO in the background. I would be a lot more effective if I would spend less time: Playing games on my cell phone. Did you have any pregame rituals or superstitions? I think that Ship softball is the most superstitious team on this planet. We have a pre-game ritual that is over 45 minutes long. This includes cheers, prayers, movements, and quotes that are all nearly impossible to fill out on this questionnaire. If any of these rituals are forgotten or messed up, teammates will be very very upset. My hidden talent is: I’m actually a black belt in Karate. And I am a very good hunter. (Check out the Gettysburg Times last year, I shot an 8 point and had a picture during hunting season.) Who is your celebrity crush? Eric Church… pretty much anyone that can pull off cowboy boots. Words your coach says that you swear you can hear in your sleep: “WHAT DID SHE SAY?” ... usually because he’s yelling at me for saying something inappropriate or because he’s just plain deaf. Stuck on a deserted island, what three things would you bring? Emily Parkins, Rochelle Troise, Megan Lehman. Sport I would look bad doing, and why: Basketball. It’s scary how I can go from being so talented at softball to so… terrible at basketball. I have no idea how it works or the rules, it’s just bad. What is your favorite vacation spot? My family has a second house in the Poconos and I try to go every time that I have the chance. It’s on Lake Naomi and I couldn’t imagine my childhood the same without the memories from that house. The most addictive snack food for me is: Anything and everything. Coach calls me “THE HUMAN TRASHCAN.” When we go out to dinner as a team and the school pays, coach’s rules are that players must eat every bite of what they order. Well, many girls on my team can’t always do that… So they come to me. I clean my own plate and the people who can’t clean their own. I’m scared of the day my metabolism catches up to me. My favorite movie I’m embarrassed to admit: I’m not embarrassed by much at all… it’s just my personality. I absolutely love Spongebob Squarepants and everything related to the show.