By Derrick Smith

The people that an athlete looks up to can be impactful to the athlete’s future. Whether it is a celebrity, a professional athlete, or someone a little closer to home, the impact that they can have on the athlete can be huge. That is the case for Grace Goins.

“My family is definitely my biggest role model,” she said. “Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today. They spend countless hours at the gym and field, and they pay so much money for me to play travel ball. I hope they know how much I love and appreciate them.”

Goins, who is a senior at Fairland High School, is a multisport athlete. She plays first base for the fastpitch and slowpitch softball teams and she plays guard on the basketball team. She is also a member of the track team.

Grace has worked hard to become the athlete she is today. While she may not always feel like working, she knows that in the end it will all be worth it.

“There is a lot of hard work and sacrifice,” she said. “There are so many days where I just want to take a break but I want to be the best and I try to be the hardest working player on my team in any sport.”

As a student at Fairland, Goins has learned from numerous teachers over the years. And out of all of those teachers, she says that there are a couple that she considers her favorites.

“My biology teacher, Ms. Shaw, and my english teacher, Mrs. Johnson are definitely my favorite teacher,” she said. “They both have taught me how to get things done and that the sky’s the limit.”

Throughout her career, Grace has been part of some memorable moments in all of her sports. Whether they are team accomplishments or personal achievements, they are all big moments. But she says that her favorite one would be a personal achievement that she was able to share with her friends.

“Hitting a home run my junior year in a regional game would be my favorite moment,” she said. “The best part was coming around to home and seeing how excited my teammates were for me.”