Oswego East Student-Athlete of the Week-Grace Egan

Junior Grace Egan is not a personality that goes unnoticed as a bowler or a teammate. Grace finds a high level of emotion in both her successes and failures, a trait that can hinder or drive athletes to success. In addition to improving as a bowler, Grace has matured as an individual and uses her outgoing and emotional personality to benefit herself and her teammates. These characteristics have helped make her our Oswego East student-athlete of the week.

Grace tried her hand at several sports as a child, ultimately finding a passion for soccer. She played for the Naperville Park District and then the Wheatlands Park District when she moved to the Oswego area. Bowling was more of a hobby, inspired by her father Joe Egan, who would take his daughter and son to the lanes for his Friday night bowling league.

During her freshman year, Grace learned about tryouts the day of from her friend and now teammate, Kate Schmudde. Acting decisively, she texted her mom, Jackie Egan, asking if she could try out for the team. Grace earned her way onto the OE JV bowling team during her freshman year with her parents' blessing.

Head coach Jeremy Hillman saw an eager freshman with room to improve, saying, "Grace has always been the type of athlete that wears her emotions on her sleeve." He goes on to say, "When she was a freshman, her success on the lanes (or lack of it) would dictate her emotions."

The mental side of the game is where Grace has focused on improving, and in doing so, her scores and abilities have improved. "My mindset has changed from freshman year, and coach Hillman and my teammates have helped me in that goal," says Grace. She adds, "Coach Hillman has always told me to never let the highs get too high, or the lows too low, and that has really helped me when I'm having either a good or bad day on the lanes."

Coach Hillman has seen how much his junior teammate has improved, saying, "I am excited to see how her improving mindset will help her become a more consistent player as the year continues."
The mechanism that drives her headspace derives from her wanting to be the best teammate possible and not let the other girls down. "My biggest goal is being the best teammate I can, so I try and focus on being the best teammate I can because if I'm not playing well I don't want that to affect the play of everyone around me," says Grace. Coach Hillman recognizes Grace as a key member of the team, saying, "Grace is an awesome teammate. She is positive and loves to laugh. When she is competing, she cheers everyone on and truly wants the best for her teammates. She is extremely coachable and will do everything it takes to succeed."

Bowling has not only helped Grace become a better teammate and bowler but also a better and more mature person in all facets of her life. "Grace has learned so much more from being an athlete, such as time management skills, what it means to be a dedicated teammate and managing priorities," says her mother, Jackie Egan. She goes on to say, "Grace has matured into a beautiful soul since freshman year and I think the best part about that is she doesn't worry about 'fitting in' and stands up for what she believes."

Grace is currently averaging around 180 per game, but has recently bowled her best with a career-high game of 264 and a career-high 3-game series of 704. All signs are trending upwards for Grace as she only begins to scratch the surface of the bowler she is capable of becoming. "I truly believe we have not even come close to Grace's ceiling, and as her confidence and mental game improve, the sky is the limit."

Grace would love the opportunity to be a member of a college bowling team, and there is little doubt she will continue to improve her game to put herself in a position to do so. She also intends to major in Psychology. As someone who is attuned to her own emotions, she has always been complimented on her capacity to be a good listener and would like to use those skills to help others.

Sean Kelleher, Grace's Psychology teacher, believes Grace has the traits to thrive in the field, saying, "Grace is incredibly personable and has been passionate about Psychology since day one." He goes on to say, "She is inquisitive about all of our topics and consistently asks questions. She is often the first to contribute to class discussions and is a hard worker who I believe can succeed in the field, either as a teacher or psychologist."

By putting herself out there and taking a chance by trying out for the bowling team, Grace has put herself on a path to becoming the best version of herself, both as a bowler and a person. For future Wolves, Grace uses her own experiences at OE to provide them advice by saying, "Make sure to stay on top of your schoolwork your freshman year, and even if you have a friend group coming into high school, stick with people who will always lift you, even when you're at your lowest points." Grace's unwavering support for her teammates and passion for becoming the best version of herself means she is headed for many more highs than low points as the season continues.