She's a Keeper

She’s a Keeper

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By Abigail Koch

If you were to watch a North Quincy Girls Soccer match you would be sure to see a petite, blonde headed girl in a fluorescent  green goalie shirt standing firmly in the net. You would most likely catch her soaring through the air, challenging breakaways, and supporting her teammates throughout the game. This girl is Shannan Kennedy, no stranger to North Quincy soccer. Kennedy is a senior captain who has been playing soccer for twelve years. She has started in net since her freshman year. In the past few years, Kennedy has broken records for not only Most Career Shutouts, but Most Career Shutouts in a season. This has not been an easy thing to accomplish for Kennedy, but she has continued to work hard into this season. This past spring the North Quincy Girls Soccer program was given the tragic news of the passing of their former travel coach and current goalie coach Michael Kennedy. I had the honor of sitting down with current goalie Shannan Kennedy, daughter of former coach Michael Kennedy. I asked Kennedy a few questions pertaining to no longer having her father by her side on and off the field. Her maturity and grace was shown in her responses. “The hardest part of not having my dad with me this season is not having him be there to tell me what I am doing wrong, or need to improve on, and he was very supportive of me.” I asked Kennedy what has helped her get through this season without her goalie coach and father and her response was simple: “My team”. She expressed her gratitude for her teammates and coaches and how she would not be able to carry on without them. I was also fortunate enough to sit down with senior, teammate, and friend of Kennedy's,  Nicole Flora. When asked about Kennedy, Flora responded with, “What stands out most with Shannan is her compassion. Not only for the game itself but for each person on the team. She genuinely cares about each player, and she thinks about what's best for the team, not just herself and her position.” These kind words are a perfect example as to why goalie Shannan Kennedy should be recognized not only as an outstanding athlete  but an even more outstanding individual, a perfect example as to why she is described as a “Keeper”. Without Shannan Kennedy the North Quincy Girls Soccer team would simply not be the same.

Photo: Goalie Shannan Kennedy to left with father and goalie coach Michael Kennedy to right.

Photo courtesy of Alison Radzik