July 28, 2007
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VUcommodores.com recently caught up with rising junior Jennifer Risper of the women’s basketball team to see what the Commodore is doing to keep herself busy during the summer.
How has your summer been so far?
I’ve been traveling all summer and have enjoyed my time off. I’ve had time to see family and friends back in California. Also, Merideth [Marsh] and Tina [Wirth] visited me back home — we even took a trip to the Grand Canyon together. It was a good experience to be able to show them where I’m from.
What does it mean to you to have teammates visit you outside of Tennessee during the summer?
It means a lot to me. It shows you the bond that we share as teammates and the closeness that we have as a team.
Talk about your off-season preparations for basketball?
I’ve been focusing on staying in shape and playing a lot of basketball. I’m working on all aspects of my game including being more aware and patient in game situations as well as working on my shooting and combination moves.
Are there specific goals for the team at this moment since you rejoined each other for workouts?
Right now, we’re just trying to get better for the next day. We’re giving it our all so when the season starts, we’ll be on schedule and ready to go.
How important is team chemistry heading into the season?
Team chemistry is probably the most important thing to work on this time of year. Without team chemistry, you really don’t know who you’re playing with, who you’re passing to, or when and where they’re going to cut. That’s one of the big reasons why it’s important to build relationships with the incoming freshmen. We experienced some success last year due to the closeness of the team and would like to continue that trend.
Is some of the motivation heading into this year based on the way the season ended last year?
There’s a lot of motivation because of the way things ended last season against Bowling Green. We had a great year up until that point in the NCAA Tournament, but everyone has to want to get better. If we do that, we’ll get back to where we need to be.
How much weight do you put on your shoulders to be a leader this year with a squad comprised of mostly freshmen and sophomores?
I try to lead by example with the things I do on and off the court. I know that a big part being a good leader is setting a good example. I don’t pressure myself to be something I’m not. I just want to go out and do the right things to help the team win games.
The team is preparing for a trip to Spain in mid-August. Have you been to Europe before?
No, I haven’t. This trip is really exciting to me. One reason I’m excited is because traveling overseas is something I’d like to do after college. This trip will be a good chance for me to see what it’s really like. We’ll be going to Barcelona, Valencia and Madrid to play in a couple of games. We’ll also have some time for sightseeing.
What’s something that Commodore fans might not know about you?
One of my hobbies at the moment is collecting Coke Rewards points. Tina Wirth has helped me with this project. We’ve been compiling bottle caps everywhere we go, so if we see someone drinking a Coke product, we ask them for their cap. Then we log our points online with the hopes of getting one big prize. I am going to keep accumulating points to see how large of a prize I can get. Who knows, maybe I can win a cruise.
What’s your favorite all-time movie?
My current favorites are How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and Meet the Robinsons.
What music have you been listening to?
I’ve been listening to country music all summer. Even when I’m back at home I make my friends listen to it in the car, even though country’s not as popular as it is in Nashville. My cell phone ring tone is Tracy Lawrence’s “Find Out Who Your Friends Are.”
Tell us something you like to do outside of basketball in Nashville?
Recently, I went line-dancing for the first time with some teammates at Wildhorse. I really enjoyed it and it’s something I’d like to do more often.
Finally, on your way over to this interview, you stopped by the women’s basketball offices to pick something up. What was it?
We just received our SEC Tournament Championship rings. I’m not big on material items, but the symbolism of the ring is very important to me. We were able to win a conference championship and I’ll be able to remember that experience with my teammates for the rest of my life.
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