Kendall Kunelius
Professional Competitor Bio
| Location: |
Chester, NH |
|---|---|
| Height: | 5'8" |
| Birthday: |
December 4, 1992 |
| Job: | Receiving manager at Tractor Supply Co. |
| Interests: | Besides STIHL TIMBERSPORTS®, my interests and hobbies include horse riding, gardening, and landscaping. I also coach the University of New Hampshire Woodsmen Team. |
How long have you competed in lumberjack sports?
This is my sixth year competing professionally.
How did you get involved in lumberjack sports and when did you start competing?
I got involved in STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® when I was a sophomore in college. A friend and I were riding on the bus back to our dorm and she asked me if I'd like to join her at Woodsmen team practice that evening. I agreed, and have been training and competing ever since.
How do you train for the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® Series?
My motto is "quality over quantity" when it comes to training - I benefit more from one good training session than three half-hearted sessions. Since I am coaching three nights per week, talking about each event for several hours while watching and critiquing the students is a hugely important piece in my training. It develops my critical eye for small mistakes and technical errors. When I sit down to watch myself on videos, I am able to pick out the pieces I need to work on much faster. In terms of my physical training, I work on cardio and speed at the gym while much of my muscle strength comes from the heavy lifting I do at work. In short, there are quite a few varied pieces to the training puzzle. I am a person who tends to get bored just going to the gym, so having many fitness options is a big help in motivating myself to get stronger and healthier.
What’s your best/strongest STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® Series discipline?
My strongest discipline at this point is stock saw, but I would say singlebuck is a very close second.
What advice would you give to young female athletes interested in competing on the Series?
The words that I most often offer pertain to the way that we as women approach this sport. We have every right to compete on this stage, to run a chainsaw, to chop and saw; not because we are women, but because we are athletes. A famous tennis player was reported to have been the best female athlete in the world. Her reply was to question the fact that she was termed a "female athlete," not an "athlete." The young women in this sport cannot lose sight of the fact that we are athletes first and foremost, and as in any sport, a healthy dose of self-respect is crucial to achieve their goals.
