ASHLAND — Ashland native and fitness champion Jen Hendershott discusses Ashland’s influence on her life, her long-spanning fitness career, grief, overcoming adversity and more in her new book: Life in One Shott.
The autobiography is the first major book Shott has written, which will release on Jan. 27, online and in stores such as Barnes and Noble. It is already available for pre-order on Amazon.com and Hendershott’s website.
She began writing it 13 years ago following the passing of her father, Jack Hendershott, who was well-known for in Ashland for his involvement in the Alcoholics Anonymous program.
During that time, Hendershott continued to face loss and family health issues and could not find the time to sit down and finish it until her brother died in February.
“It was that moment where I realized I cannot procrastinate any longer. I’ve got to finish this book — especially for my brother Jeff,” she said.
“We’ve had a crazy journey in 55 years, but we’re very proud of our life and we’re very proud of our failures and our successes.”
Her favorite part of the book was recounting her childhood in Ashland and how growing up in a small town influenced her life.
“Being a kid in Ashland, growing up and realizing the world’s a big place — I love it here, but I’m destined for more,” she said.
Hendershott now lives in Florida.
She was inspired to write the book after she had a job as a public speaker, talking about health and wellness to women across the country. She knew she had the confidence to tell people on a stage, as well as on paper.
“I loved that job. That was never a job for me,” she said.
Who is Hendershott?
Hendershott is best known for her career in fitness, which she credits as starting with her experience in gymnastics, dance and cheerleading. She was a cheerleader at Ashland High School from 1989-1991.
Photo provided by Hendershott.
Her crowning moment in fitness was winning Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 2005 Fitness International and the 2005 Fitness Olympia events, followed by wins at the 2008 Fitness Olympia and the 2009 Fitness International.
She covers those competitions and starting Phat Camp, but the book goes beyond what Hendershott is known for.
A large theme of the book is how central Christian faith is in Hendershott’s life. Especially when she prayed for a sign on the fertility issues she and her husband endured.
Those prayers led Hendershott to making a family of her own after taking in two foreign exchange students, each for a year at separate times.
Now the two international kids who are grown up go on family vacations each year and stay in touch.
“We were able to, in a really crazy way, create our international family. So we say we have a son from Germany, a daughter from Norway and we have a family from the Bahamas who we rescued after Hurricane Dorian,” Hendershott said. “These kids have all become part of our life.
“So a big part of the book is if you can’t have your own children, make your own story, make your own family. It can be DNA, but it doesn’t have to be DNA.”
Hendershott also details her humanitarian work after finishing her fitness career, including starting a non-profit organization to raise $30,000 for a Panama City sexual violence center that was destroyed in a hurricane. She also worked to raise $84,000 to rescue 54 families after Hurricane Dorian.
“Around 2017, my husband and I, we were those people who sit there, you watch TV, you see these disasters happen and you’re like, I wish I could do something,” Hendershott said.
As for the future of Hendershott’s career as an author, she hopes to one day write children books. She has a background in education, but never pursued it with the success of her fitness journey.
Hendershott plans to set up an event for the book in Ashland later this spring.