TYLER KENNEDY

Playing Field Hockey at University of Virginia Fall of 2021
Savannah Country Day School, GA (K - 5th)
Presbyterian School (6th - 8th)
St. John's School (2017 - 2021) Varsity Junior and Senior year
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Profile Link
From Tyler: 
Favorite Field Hockey Memory? Why?
  • My favorite field hockey memory is definitely NITQ my junior year. I was the only u19 on the u16 superstar team, and they were all playing up in a u19 bracket. We really didn't know how we would do at the tournament, but we ended up winning the whole thing in shootouts, and were placed in A pool!
 
What was your most exciting recruiting experience?
  • My favorite recruiting experience is definitely when Tina told me that UVA was interested in me. It had been my top school for a while, and I was super excited to see that my hard work had paid off :)

Why are you playing field hockey in college?
  • Because I love field hockey, and am really excited to play at a higher level!

What have you been doing to prepare?
  • I am doing the pride camps and summer leagues. I have been running and doing my UVA packet. I am also going to VA beach for Nexus.

If you could give one piece of advice to younger girls who want to play field hockey in college, what would it be?
  • I would just say to have fun with the sport. At times it can get competitive and overwhelming, but if you're having fun it is all worth it!

Who was the most influential person in high school?
  • Tina! I had a difficult experience with school field hockey as an underclassman, but Tina always believed in me and pushed for me to be the best player I could be.

​Favorite post practice/ game snack?
  • Celsius

What pre game rituals do you use to hype yourself up before a game?
  • Team van rides normally get me pretty hyped up. I also love a good warm up and 3 to goal.

What made you want to be a college field hockey player?
  • Since I was little I wanted to play sports in college, and I realized in middle school that field hockey was my favorite, and I wanted to play it for as long as possible.

What was one of the toughest experiences?
  • Being behind three really good goalies in the 2020 class was always hard for me because at times it meant that I couldn't be on the top team or make the Futures regional teams. But in the end, I realized it was for the best because without them I would not be the player that I am today because they pushed me to always improve as they constantly raised the bar.

Year you began playing field hockey? How?
  • 7th grade. SJS required a fall sport and all my friends were playing field hockey. I was a club soccer player at the time, and when I learned that you could not kick the ball as a field player, I became a goalie! ​
From Tina:
Favorite Tyler Moment (old) / why?:
  • I remember when Tyler was younger, but not too young. As she mentioned, she was behind a strong class of GK's, so she was always placed on younger teams. She was also very young for her grade, so this worked out very well for her. The one indoor season, I asked her to stay U16 without her friends and play on this team with a bunch of girls much younger than her. She was not pleased.  I told her this was going to be a really good team and that she would really enjoy working with them. She was skeptical, but complied. By the end of that season, they were the superstars and she was a phenomenal fit for this young talented team.  She did great.  Eventually, she came to love playing with the superstars. 
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Favorite Tyler moment (new)/ why?
  • Tyler was extremely helpful this past year. She was extremely reliable on the field for us and did a great job helping coach so many younger gk's throughout the pandemic. 
  • I was extremely proud of Tyler at Nexus this year. She was always behind these 3 2020 gk's who were very talented. Tyler has always been a good goalie, but was in the shadow of them. This year, she was the oldest and finally had her opportunity to shine. And shine she did. She developed so much over this past year. At Nexus this summer, she was one of three players selected to move on to U21 Junior National Camp this Winter.  We are so proud of Tyler and know she is going to be an exceptional collegiate gk. 

Story we will forever tell about Tyler:
  • I will always tell kids how Tyler committed to college before she ever made Varsity at St. John's. Tyler committed to UVA in the winter of her sophomore year of high school. She didn't make the varsity field hockey team at SJS until the fall of her Junior year. 
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Favorite Tyler recruiting moment/ why?
  • I remember talking to Tyler on the phone letting her know that UVA was interested.  Recruiting was over on that call.  She had UVA as her top choice the entire time and the recruiting process for Tyler was over before it even had the chance to start. And she was completely okay with that. It was what she wanted, and we are so proud of Tyler for going for what she wanted. Her recruiting process was very easy, and not necessarily normal :)

First memory of Tyler / why?
  • I actually remember Tyler early on from her sister.  Her sister's name was Cross and their names were very distinctive.  They are also very close in age with Cross being one year older than her.  Her sister didn't play for as long as Tyler did with us, but they started around the same time.