December 2015 Athletes of the Month: Grayson Turley and Gabby Clark
Grayson Turley
Whether you win or lose, it is essential that you do so in a classy way. That is what senior Grayson Turley said about the important lesson that his tennis coaches, Coach Crist and Coach Prichard, taught him.
In addition to being a member of the National Honor Society, Grayson has excelled on the tennis court as well. He has held the number one position on his high school’s varsity tennis team both junior and senior years and is the captain of this year’s team.
“Our team placed second in our league this year. In the post season district tournament, I played doubles with my partner, Arun Kalokhe, where we beat our school's nemesis twice, and only lost to one team throughout all four days,” said Grayson of the play that has secured them a ticket to the state tournament this spring.
Grayson plans to play tennis at the collegiate level as well, looking at schools in Southern California as well as the University of Washington. He shares that he would like to study business.
After being injured during his junior year during the singles consolation finals in the district tournament, Grayson was determined to recover from his injury and make it to state this year. A goal he has accomplished. And as he goes onto the next chapter in his life, Grayson said he will always treasure the bond he made with his teammates.
“I really enjoyed being part of a team with a bunch of great guys. We all made lots of memories I know we'll never forget,” said Grayson.
Gabrielle “Gabby” Clark
Senior Gabby Clark knows what it takes to succeed. She has a 3.7 cumulative GPA and is also a member of the National Honor Society. But it’s not just in the classroom where she excels, she also has experienced success on the soccer field.
After moving up to the varsity squad during her freshman year, Gabby made varsity throughout high school and plays attacking midfield and forward. She is the captain of her team this year and last year was part of the team that won the 3A state championship.
Putting her educational needs first, Gabby is undecided as to whether she will play soccer in college. “I would love to play soccer in college but want to choose the university first based off of location and academics. Then, if soccer is a possibility, I will pursue it,” she said.
Gabby shared that what she enjoys most about soccer is being apart of a team. “I love helping to make my teammates look good and succeed. Also, I love the fact that I can rely on the people who rely on me. It is an equally balanced relationship that allows us both to benefit,” said Gabby. “Being on a team makes it easy to accept everyone as your second family. And I can honestly say I am the most comfortable and weird around my soccer-family.”
Looking back with appreciation on her years in sports, Gabby said it has taught her how to work well with others. “You really learn how each person works and develops differently and that you might have to accommodate in order to receive success.”
