At 6′3″ Volleyball Star Kerri Walsh Jennings Would Love to Be Even Taller
Olympic star Kerri Walsh Jennings on family and confidence. (Photo: Instagram)
Three-time Olympic medalist in volleyball, 36-year-old Kerri Walsh Jennings is known for being an ultra fierce competitor. A mom of three kids under the age of five, Walsh Jennings is one of the biggest names in the sport. For Walsh Jennings that fierce drive and desire to win was something she’s always had. “I was born into a very athletic family, a very competitive family,” explains Walsh Jennings. My parents are athletes and their parents are athletes I feel like I was just born a competitor.” However, even though Walsh Jennings was a star athlete early on, she was more reserved when she wasn’t competing. “I was very very shy growing up,” says Walsh Jennings. “What brought out my personality and really helped me find myself throughout my entire life, in every stage of life, has been sports. It initially gave me a voice. It gave me a circle of friends. It’s such a comfortable environment for me that I was able to start speaking up.”
At 6 foot 3 inches, Walsh Jennings naturally possesses the height to dominate the sport, but it took her a little longer to get there. “I was pretty average height until I got to be a junior in high school, 5’8’’ my sophomore year,” she says. “Then I was six feet as a senior, and grew more in college. I was just a late bloomer. But I love that I was not always the tallest, because then you kind of of get away with being sloppy and not having the best technique. I feel like growing later made me more accountable, because I had to do things right, which is the best way to do things anyway.”
A towering height was an asset that Walsh Jennings always embraced. With goals of being an athlete, Jennings understood that her height was a major plus “I was never tall enough — to be quite honest with you. My dad is 6’8” and such a powerful athlete. I just wanted to be like him, she explains. Her father was a former professional baseball player.
Walsh Jennings is currently gearing up for the World Series of Beach Volleyball on August 18th. Despite recently dislocating her shoulder for the second time, she isn’t letting it stop her from wanting to kill it at the Olympic qualifier, she has her eye on Rio 2016. “It’s a really big deal and I’ve been working my tushy off to get back. I’m so excited to compete on home soil, and it’s really big deal for my Olympic run and for my comeback in general,” Walsh Jennings states.
To energize herself on the court, Walsh Jennings relies on an unexpected source of energy — honey. Now a spokesperson for the National Honey Board, the athlete says she’s been using honey to fuel up during matches for years, using a honey stick for on-the-go energy. “My sports psychologist is the one who told me to try honey before the London Olympics. Blood sugar levels are so important and it helps me sustain my energy, sustain my mood. It’s a natural burst of energy, you know it’s really quick carbs. And my body loves it and responds really well to it. I really appreciate the fact that it’s natural and that I’m not going through all of the processed sources for energy.” Walsh Jennings isn’t worried about the sugar content because of the small amount she uses. “What’s bad is low blood sugar, or too high blood sugar. I am only tablespoon of honey at a time out or at a water break during practice. That’s something that the human body needs. We give it to our kids, you know when they go to soccer camp, they have honey sticks in their bags, so if they’re feeling low on energy, low in their sugar, we give that to them and it’s awesome.”
Walsh Jennings credits her three kids, Joey, 6, and Sundance, 4, and Scout, 2 with helping keep her active, and more fit than ever. “They train me as much as my trainers train me. You know it’s like a nonstop job. We work out all day, and then we get home and our kids want to play. We play soccer and volleyball in the field. So it’s like we’re doing wind-sprints in the backyard,” she says.
Being a third generation athlete, and married to professional volleyball star Casey Jennings, there is a big chance their kids might follow their parents’ career path. However, for Walsh Jennings it’s more about following their dreams rather than trying to keep up the family’s athletic tradition. “We want our kids to see us working hard. I want them to see us taking our dreams and failing and succeeding. We want to guide them and steer them. We have really fun jobs so hopefully it will inspire them to do whatever makes their hearts sing.”
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