Eagle Spotlight of the Week: Jessica Fuller
3/18/2009 4:23:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Every week, a member of the Athletics Media Relations staff will sit down with one member of the Georgia Southern women's tennis team for an Eagle Spotlight of the Week. This week's featured player is Jessica Fuller, a junior from Cartersville, Ga. Fuller has starred from the No. 5 position the majority of the dual match season and No. 3 doubles. She currently boasts a 6-6 dual match singles record and 3-1 Southern Conference mark.
AMR: Tell me a little about how the season is going thus far for you.
Jessica Fuller: As far as doubles go me and my partner have really come together and done well, especially the matches that we've played against Elon and UNC Greensboro. The chemistry is really good between us. In singles I just go out there and try to fight for every point.
How is the season going for the team?
We had a huge win against Elon. That was a big win. That was one of the biggest wins we've had my whole career here at Southern. We all worked really well together and cheered for each other. The chemistry is really good right now on the team. Everyone is pulling for each other, cheering and fighting. I definitely think we have a good chance to come up in our conference standings.
Earlier this season, you clinched the match against Bethune-Cookman. In that situation, are you aware you clinched the match? How important is that to you?
It's always important to know you've clinched the match because that means you've won the match. But not all the time do you know that you're even doing it. Like against Bethune-Cookman I didn't even realize that because there are still people on the court playing and you're not sure how all of your other teammates have done because you can't see how they're doing. I would say that most of the time you don't know that you are the one that has won the match for the team.
What if you were the deciding match and the last match on the court?
I guess I would feel nervous but at the same time I would always believe that I could do it. I would strive to step my game up and not let my nerves overcome me.
You opened fall competition with a five-match win streak. What did you work on during the offseason to improve your game?
This year I focused on having fun out there and not worrying about the outcome so much as just one point at a time and enjoying being on the court. I play each point now point by point instead of worrying about the outcome as a whole.
How has your game improved overall since you've been at Georgia Southern?
I don't get frustrated with myself like I did in junior tennis. My mental game has come a long way. Now I have the mentality of staying out there as long as it takes to win. In junior tennis, I always thought that hitting the ball hard would make you a good player. But since I've come to school, it's not necessarily how hard you hit it, it's if you're willing to stay out there to try and find ways to win and changing the game up a little bit.
Why did you choose Georgia Southern? What were the deciding factors?
I liked the team. When I came, all the girls on the team liked to be together and hang out together. The chemistry of the team was really nice. The coach was extremely nice and easy to talk to. The campus was pretty. And my sister got a cross country scholarship here. But I really liked the team aspect of it. When I came on my recruiting trip everyone hung out together and did everything together. And it is still the same. We all do everything together still.
What has been your biggest highlight since you've been at Georgia Southern?
Beating Elon was probably one of my top highlights. We were acting like we had just won the Southern Conference Championship. We were so excited. I think we all just woke up that morning thinking we can do it. And then we went out there and did it. Coach was really encouraging saying she believed that we could do it. I think her positive affirmation really pumped us up and made us believe that we could do it.
As a freshman, you made the SoCon All-Academic team. How do you balance the academic life with the athletic life?
I just started nursing school, so this is a huge change for me. Right now, I have no life; its school and tennis. When we came home from UNG Greensboro, I didn't even go home, I went straight to the library and studied. It's a commitment that I've made and I realize that you have to make sacrifices. Nursing school is two years of my life and it will be worth it. It's a lot of hours with a little sleep right now.
What do you plan on doing post-graduation and why?
I've always loved working with people. When I came to college, I wanted to help people. I want to get my Master's in Nursing. So that is a few more years of school after my undergraduate. I want to be a nurse practitioner at a family practice or be a P.A. in dermatology. I haven't really decided yet. I really enjoy being in the nursing program, more than I thought I would be. It's a lot of work, but it is definately rewarding.
AMR: Tell me a little about how the season is going thus far for you.
Jessica Fuller: As far as doubles go me and my partner have really come together and done well, especially the matches that we've played against Elon and UNC Greensboro. The chemistry is really good between us. In singles I just go out there and try to fight for every point.
How is the season going for the team?
We had a huge win against Elon. That was a big win. That was one of the biggest wins we've had my whole career here at Southern. We all worked really well together and cheered for each other. The chemistry is really good right now on the team. Everyone is pulling for each other, cheering and fighting. I definitely think we have a good chance to come up in our conference standings.
Earlier this season, you clinched the match against Bethune-Cookman. In that situation, are you aware you clinched the match? How important is that to you?
It's always important to know you've clinched the match because that means you've won the match. But not all the time do you know that you're even doing it. Like against Bethune-Cookman I didn't even realize that because there are still people on the court playing and you're not sure how all of your other teammates have done because you can't see how they're doing. I would say that most of the time you don't know that you are the one that has won the match for the team.
What if you were the deciding match and the last match on the court?
I guess I would feel nervous but at the same time I would always believe that I could do it. I would strive to step my game up and not let my nerves overcome me.
You opened fall competition with a five-match win streak. What did you work on during the offseason to improve your game?
This year I focused on having fun out there and not worrying about the outcome so much as just one point at a time and enjoying being on the court. I play each point now point by point instead of worrying about the outcome as a whole.
How has your game improved overall since you've been at Georgia Southern?
I don't get frustrated with myself like I did in junior tennis. My mental game has come a long way. Now I have the mentality of staying out there as long as it takes to win. In junior tennis, I always thought that hitting the ball hard would make you a good player. But since I've come to school, it's not necessarily how hard you hit it, it's if you're willing to stay out there to try and find ways to win and changing the game up a little bit.
Why did you choose Georgia Southern? What were the deciding factors?
I liked the team. When I came, all the girls on the team liked to be together and hang out together. The chemistry of the team was really nice. The coach was extremely nice and easy to talk to. The campus was pretty. And my sister got a cross country scholarship here. But I really liked the team aspect of it. When I came on my recruiting trip everyone hung out together and did everything together. And it is still the same. We all do everything together still.
What has been your biggest highlight since you've been at Georgia Southern?
Beating Elon was probably one of my top highlights. We were acting like we had just won the Southern Conference Championship. We were so excited. I think we all just woke up that morning thinking we can do it. And then we went out there and did it. Coach was really encouraging saying she believed that we could do it. I think her positive affirmation really pumped us up and made us believe that we could do it.
As a freshman, you made the SoCon All-Academic team. How do you balance the academic life with the athletic life?
I just started nursing school, so this is a huge change for me. Right now, I have no life; its school and tennis. When we came home from UNG Greensboro, I didn't even go home, I went straight to the library and studied. It's a commitment that I've made and I realize that you have to make sacrifices. Nursing school is two years of my life and it will be worth it. It's a lot of hours with a little sleep right now.
What do you plan on doing post-graduation and why?
I've always loved working with people. When I came to college, I wanted to help people. I want to get my Master's in Nursing. So that is a few more years of school after my undergraduate. I want to be a nurse practitioner at a family practice or be a P.A. in dermatology. I haven't really decided yet. I really enjoy being in the nursing program, more than I thought I would be. It's a lot of work, but it is definately rewarding.
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