CHESAPEAKE, Va. - It did not take Chesapeake's Kayla Kennedy long to get hooked on tennis, a sport she's working to master at a young age.
"My mom put me in it when I was around 7 (years old)," she recalled. "Ever since that, my dad took it off and I've been playing tennis ever since then."
Fast forward and she's taken off herself, noting that performing well in a USTA event at 14 years old made her realize her potential in the sport. Kayla set the bar high for herself as a freshman, becoming the first-ever Great Bridge tennis player to claim a state singles championship. It was a moment that made her and her family very proud.
"I think it was just a shock that I came so far in States," she said. "I played a really great opponent in the finals and semifinals so I think it was just a shock."
"She is a phenom," added Pedro Harmon, a family friend and tennis guru. "We need to embrace her and help her along this journey as much as we can because what she did was no small feat."
Harmon has been involved in tennis for three decades and knows the sport inside and out locally. He's watched as the young star has gone undefeated this season to date and win Region 4A titles in both singles and doubles play. Now Kayla will shoot for back-to-back state gold.
"I know that there [are] other opponents that would want to beat me, but I have to put everything I have on the court," the sophomore pointed out. "It's a really nice challenge to have."
"She's a wonderful person, an extremely good academic student and a phenomenal athlete," Harmon said.
Her numbers back up Harmon's assessment. Kayla boasts a 3.85 GPA and takes part in Air Force ROTC. The tennis star hopes to one day get the chance to showcase her skills at the college level, even though there is still plenty left to accomplish at Great Bridge that she will focus on first.
"I want to get a D-I scholarship, a high D-I, or somewhere that I don't have to pay for college," Kayla said of her future goals. "I just want to see what I can do as a college tennis player and see where it can take me after."
"I look forward to her doing a lot of great things here in the area and nationally," Harmon added.
Kayla and the Wildcats finished runners-up in Region 4B. She will chase singles and doubles state championships next weekend at Huntington Park in Newport News.
If you have a nominee for Esprit Decor Student-Athlete of the Week, send an email to marc.davis@wtkr.com.
