Senior Brittany Shaffer approaches her final year of high school and potentially last year in Fresno. For the second non-consecutive year, she earned the title of the girls No. 1 singles player in the West Sequoia League. Completing her 6th year of competition she remains unsure what the future holds for her tennis career.

Aside from tennis and her position as the Associated Student Body treasurer in student leadership, Shaffer strives to remain a normal teenager. Her free time consists of reading or kicking back with close friends. As a result of divorce, the visit to her father in Orange County remains her favorite time of the year. The pain from her parent’s split helps Shaffer focus on the future with the strength from her past.

D: Hey Brittany, so you?ve had six great years of success in tennis, what got you started?

S: ?Well I played when I was in elementary school but I didn?t really stick with it. Once I came to Fresno Christian in junior high, Mr. (George) Freeman got me started again. I was hesitant at first but Freeman kept drilling me until I decided to play.”

D: Do you plan on taking this pro or college?

S: ?I really want to play in college if I have the time and I think it would be awesome to play pro but I don?t think I?m that good. But it’s a great sport and I would like to go as far as I can.?

D: Do you have a tennis role model?

S: ?Not really. I actually don?t watch very much tennis. But if I had to choose it would be Andre Aggasi.?

D: Do you have any pre-game rituals to get you ready for the match?

S: “I don?t really have a ritual.I pray and just hope to do the best I can. When I start to get frustrated I just take deep breaths to calm myself down.”

D: You recently won the girls no. 1 singles title in WSL. How
does it feel to hold that title?

S: ?It?s really awesome! I’m happy I was able to do it again. I won it when I was a sophomore because Jaclyn Blackwell [’07 alumna] and Mary Kneefel [’08 alumna] played doubles and then last year I got second.?

D: Girls tennis went undefeated in League again this year. What do you believe is the key to your success?

S: ?We work hard and we do our best in every match without giving up. Plus we have God on our side.?

D: What relaxes you after games or practices?

S: ?I usually just go get something to eat and take a shower. After that I usually watch one of my movies or television. I usually watch cop shows like Law & Order: SVU or Without A Trace and Cold Case until I fall asleep.?

D: Aside from tennis you?re also the ASB Treasurer for student leadership. What?s your favorite part of that job?

S: ?Well I love math and counting, so I guess counting the money is my favorite part. And since I have a passion for math it’s a pretty easy job for me.?

D: All right, what is your least favorite class in high school?

S: ?My least favorite class is history, that?s why I always did summer school packets! I also don’t like science that much. My definite favorite is math though.?

D: Lets move to something other than school. What do you usually find yourself doing? Do you have any unique hobbies?

S: ?I work as a hostess at FIVE restaurant or hang out with friends. I don?t really have any hobbies, but I love to read and sometimes I will do puzzles while watching television. And this is kind of weird, but I love cards. I collect decks of playing cards wherever I find them. I have about 10 or 15 regular decks and about 25 or more that say different cities or states on them.?

D: It?s finally your last year of high school, what are your plans for college?

S: ?I really am hoping to go to Westmont [College]. But if I don?t get in there I would like to go to Azusa or Fresno Pacific University. I wanted to go to UC Irvine but this summer after my softball injury I had a lot of time to think about things. God spoke to me and I decided to go to a Christian college.”

D: How are the applications going?

S: ?They suck! I hate them. The information part is easy but it’s the essays that are killing me. I just finished Westmont?s and now I?m doing Azusa and FPU.?

D: You visit Orange County every summer to see your dad. How long have you been doing that?

S: ?Well I?ve been doing it every year since I was about 4. I go for summer, Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving. Unfortunately I was not able to this summer because of my softball accident. Since I?m working I won?t be able to see him for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter either. It’s really sad because i miss my dad so much?

D: What is your favorite part of that experience?

S: ?My favorite part is being able to be with my dad and sisters, whether it is just hanging out watching tv or going to the mall.?

D: How did your parent?s divorce affect you?

S: ?It?s affected me in a lot ways. I miss my dad all the time. Even when I?m with him it?s hard because I know soon I?m going to have to leave him. But the positive side is that I know it?s made me stronger. It helps me deal with things that if I was not in this situation, I probably couldn’t deal with. I am now able to look on the bright side of every situation that I am put in.”

D: Okay, time for the juicy question. Do you have a boyfriend? What?s your dating status?

S: “No I don?t have a boyfriend this year. I?ve had a few in the past and it?s just caused drama so I?m content being single at the moment.?