Gracy Simpson
Shawnee High School
Entering her junior year, Gracy Simpson of Shawnee High School has set a goal for herself as a member of the varsity swim team. That goal is simple, yet tough to remember in the moment.
“My goal for this season is to remember to have fun. Enjoying the process and having fun will result with the best times,” said Simpson.
For Simpson, swimming is more than just an activity to represent Shawnee High School. It’s an opportunity to push herself and help her teammates reach their goals. Even when the practices are hard and pushing the team to its limits.
“Each practice is different and makes us work harder each time. I would say one of the toughest practices has been 60×50’s on 40 seconds,” said Simpson.
This season Simpson is swimming several events and is looking forward to the opportunity to cheer on her teammates.
“I swim the 50 freestyle and 100 fly and I am also apart of both A relays,” said Simpson. “My teammates are like apart my family, very supportive and continue to push me every day. There have been many setbacks this season, but nevertheless our team has faced those challenges head on. We continue to push each other every day, both inside and out of the pool.”
The same can be said for Simpson in the classroom. Simpson serves as vice president of National Honor Society and she’s a member of FCCLA.
“Being a student-athlete teaches you how to be disciplined. It’s most definitely going to be hard sometimes, but you mustkeep pushing through to get the end results. I enjoy both Math and Science. My favorite teacher is Mrs. Wheeler; she is always making us smile and makes learning enjoyable,” said Simpson.
Simpson pointed to several people who have made an impact on her life in many ways.
“Besides my parents, I would say coach Val has been a big influence in my life. She pushes us every day to be one percentbetter than the before. She never fails to show up for us. She has taught me that motivation won’t always be there, but determination will push you through until your motivation comes back,” said Simpson.
After high school, Simpson plans to attend college and pursue a career in biomedical engineering. She is considering attending a school with a swim program.
In her free time, Simpson enjoys any sort of physical activity, hanging out with friends, as well as drawing and painting.
