Grant High School senior Macy Davis appreciates that the volleyball team’s summer practices helped her become more comfortable in the sport and more disciplined in her everyday life.
Lucy Kapranos has participated in the soccer program all four of her years at Grant. She remembers summer practices as a vital part of building a team bond.
The success of Grant’s athletics programs shows that effort pays off. Athletics are often time consuming, starting as early as summer break for many of Grant’s fall athletes. Put into practice by athletes from volleyball to soccer to cross country and more, summer preparation for the fall season shows the dedication these athletes have as they work toward a season of high stakes with pride.
Grant’s women’s volleyball team made it to the quarterfinals of the 2024 OSAA playoffs — the first time in Grant history that the team made it to a state-level playoff. Like most fall sports, volleyball has a summer preparation camp which can last up to 7 hours each day. In addition to the camp, Grant hosts summer workouts, such as open gyms, throughout the summer. Tryouts for a sport this competitive are nerve-wracking for many participants. “I remember the first (day of tryouts) my sophomore year,” says Davis. “I thought I played horrible, and I was really stressed out about it. After talking to a lot of my friends, I realized that almost everyone thought that about themselves and there was nothing I could do about that anymore. All I could do was just go into the next day and try to play as well as I could.”
The stress of tryouts can be heightened when factors such as vacations, jobs and internships are added into the equation. But with pressure comes learning. “The summer before tryouts always makes my time management better, because there’s so much going on, I have to be really disciplined,” says Davis.
Turning to seniors and other upperclassmen for help, while intimidating, is one of the most crucial things a newcomer can do to have a successful tryout. “Show that you’re really dedicated — (coaches) will really appreciate that … Talking on the court, you stand out more,” Davis says. “Figure out what you want the coaches to see of you, and try to curate the vision that they have of you.”
For one of the most competitive teams at Grant, tryouts can be extremely difficult and exacting. But the effort put in — to the sport and community alike — is reflected in the outcome for Grant’s women’s volleyball team. “I’m really proud to be a part of the Grant volleyball pro-
gram,” Davis says. “I feel really proud to wear the Grant jersey.”
Grant women’s soccer is one of the most accoladed sports in the school. Because of the high expectations of the teams for the fall season, many opportunities are offered for interested athletes to get to know potential teammates and prepare for tryouts during summer break. There are open practices spread sporadically throughout July, alongside a conditioning camp in August. While the hours of practice and work put in before the actual tryouts may seem overwhelming, the time spent is both a great way to show interest and crucial to building the team.
High school sports, especially those as competitive as Grant’s women’s soccer program, require a lot of commitment as early as during the tryout period. For newcomers in particular, planning summers around a sports schedule can be intimidating. Grant senior Lucy Kapra- nos is entering her fourth year of playing soccer for the school and says that the support system she found for managing tryout stress is built on her relationships with her teammates. “They make me want to push myself,” she says.
Getting to know teammates is just another way that incoming athletes can make themselves stand out to coaches. Showcasing skills —including social skills — is a vital goal for athletes going into tryouts. “The people who are talking to kids they don’t know and trying to make friends are more enjoyable and make the whole tryout environment less (uptight and stressful),” Kapranos says.
Although trying out for one of the most competitive and talented teams at Grant is daunting, remembering that the community is strong has proven helpful for athletes going into Grant’s women’s soccer program.
