Grace- Focused on Improving

Having point guard on the floor to set up the offense, handle defensive pressure, and get the team in the right defense is so important. While Riley has been getting the job done on the varsity level, Grace has done that for her teams. In JH and HS, Grace's teams have all won. As point guard on each of those teams, Grace has played a huge part in her team’s successes. Grace can handle the ball, she sees the floor and passes well, and she is athletic. She has the ability to get up and pressure the other team.

Grace has always been a good shooter, but a reluctant shooter. She generally would look for every possible option before shooting the ball. While it was good to get her teammates involved, she was passing up shots she would make. This past year she has become more aggressive as a shooter, and it had very good results.

Perhaps one of Grace’s greatest strengths is that she is a great listener. She wants to be coached, she wants to understand what needs to be done on the floor. When you give her advice or instructions, she makes eye contact and she interacts. She always asks questions for clarification, or simply to affirm she has gotten what is being said. Grace is a willing learner but then also as a point guard she becomes an extension of the coach on the floor.

Her basketball abilities make her a valuable player and effective teammate. She isn’t just a point guard anymore, she can play multiple positions. Her greatest attribute is her humility. Her humility makes her appreciated and respected by her teammates, and has helped create a “team first” attitude on her teams since JH.

I am excited to see how much she will have improved when we get back together!

Here are some thoughts from Grace…

What is your average day like during the stay at home?

I wake up around 9 and eat breakfast. I start my school work. If it’s nice outside I will go outside and shoot 120 baskets and 40 free throws. I mapped it out like that so if there are rainy days I would have already made the goal. My mom has also helped me out a lot with rebounding for me. 

What do you miss most about school?

I miss being able to see my friends and just interacting with people. I also miss open gyms because I was really excited to use them to improve my game and play against my teammates. 

So far in high school, what has been your favorite class?

My favorite class has been P.E. with Mr. Hart because he makes it fun and always jokes around with me. 

What have your eLearning classes been like?

For the most part my teachers just assign work on google classroom with a due date. For some classes, they have Google meets to help explain material. 

What's been your favorite stay at home meal, and who fixed it?

My favorite meal has been hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill. My dad cooks the meat while my mom makes the tasty sides. 

When did you start playing basketball?

I’ve been playing basketball ever since the Itty Bitty Basketball league at the Y. (around the age 3) But Junior Streaks is when I got really serious about the sport. 

As a young player, did you have any Streaks players you looked up to?

I always looked up to the Townsell twins and Lexi Daniels and Saige Milroy. Lexi and Saige had an amazing shot and the Townsell twins had really good defense and a good work ethic. 

Any favorite memories from grade school and/or junior high?

One of my favorites is from 8th grade when we would always argue which team was better, (Cubs or Cardinals). One day Coach G made all the Cardinals fans do wall jumps and sing the Go Cubs Go song because they lost a challenge. Coach G is a really good coach and we had a good bond. 

In evaluating your own game, as you look back on this past season, what part of your games do you view as your strength?

I view my strengths in dribbling and shooting. I’ve always been a point guard so everyone always looks at me to take care of the ball, especially when there’s a press. I never really used to shoot the ball for myself, I would always assist other players. Coach Massey really encouraged me to shoot this year and trust my shot, and I improved a lot. I also think that I view the court well, and can help my teammates through my communication. 

In evaluating your own game, as you look back on this past season, what is something about your game that you hope to work on and become better at?

I would like to become better at finishing shots and really working to get my left hand strong. I also want to become a defensive threat. 

This past season, what are some of your best memories?

Some of my best memories from this year are with Coach Rux. After every win, he would come running into the locker room screaming and high fiving us. We would also take selfies. But my favorite memory from the year would have to be our very last game when we beat Moline by 1 point and kept our winning streak. He was so proud of us and I still go back and watch that video to see our team’s excitement.

What do you hope teammates would say about you?

I hope my teammates would say I’m a hard worker and always seeking to improve. 

Do you have any words of encouragement for your teammates?

I would say to keep working and doing the drills that Coach Massey sends us. You can always find something to improve on. 

During the stay at home, if you could have anyone in the world come shoot with you, who do you pick?

I would choose Hailey Van Lith because she has an amazing shot and she balances her life style with basketball really well. 

If you could invite any three  people (living or dead) for dinner, who would you invite?

I would invite Kobe Bryant and Stephen Curry. I would choose them because they are huge idols to everybody and very talented. I would just want to talk to them about how Kobe got to where he was and how Stephen got to where he is today.