Oswego East Student-Athlete of the Week-Grace Lally

A common trend amongst Oswego East student-athletes of the week when advising future Wolves is telling them to get involved in the school as much as they can. Senior Grace Lally is a perfect example of how getting out of your comfort zone and trying something new can be a valuable experience, both athletically and personally. Despite her first experience swinging a golf club occurring the day before her freshman tryout, Grace made the team and soon developed a passion for the sport. Her infectious positivity and willingness to always put her best foot forward in improving her game is why she is this week’s Oswego East student-athlete of the week.

Going into her freshman year at OE, Grace had committed most of her athletic time to the softball diamond. She and a few girls from her travel softball team decided the day before freshman tryouts to give golf a try. “My softball friends and I thought it would be fun to compete in a fall sport, so the day before tryouts we went and hit a bucket of balls at the range,” says Grace. She goes on to say, “I was able to improve my score each day over the 3-day tryout and Coach Chandler allowed me and my friends to be a member of the JV team.”

Head coach Brian Chandler could see Grace’s potential. “Grace is very athletic and showed great improvement in her game over the first two years,” says Brian. “Unfortunately, she had some injuries last year and couldn’t play, but we were happy she bounced back and came out for her senior season.”

Grace’s success in her sophomore year during the JV tournament was a catalyst for continuing to push herself to improve at golf. “After my freshman season, Shea (Grace’s twin sister and member of the golf team) and I realized we could be competitive and started hitting balls at the night range in Sugar Grove during the off-season,” says Grace. She adds, “I was put in the JV conference tournament my sophomore year and was able to place first. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to play my junior year due to surgery on my arm, but watching my sister and my friend's golf made me miss it and I wanted to compete my senior season.”

Overcoming difficulty and putting in extra work is nothing new for Grace. “Grace is a hard worker, with many days after school going to work for 3 hours and then straight to practice for another 2, while still achieving straight A’s in the classroom,’ says Carla Lally, Grace’s mom. She continues by saying, “As an athlete Grace is a competitor. She wants to be the best and puts in maximum effort. She is always positive, even during times of adversity.”

Not having the opportunity to work on her game during the off-season after her continued recovery from surgery, Grace started this season on the JV program but is making a push to be a part of the varsity roster for the state playoffs. “We gave Grace her first varsity match of the season last week when we went 4-0 as a team, and she came out shooting a personal best of 48 early in the week, only to follow that up with another personal best of 45,” says Brian. He adds, “We are looking to find our 5th and 6th golfers for the IHSA playoffs, and the way Grace is playing, she is making a solid push to take one of those spots.”

The Lady Wolves are currently undefeated in team play and are the favorites to win the conference, something Grace listed as a team goal. While there are high hopes as the team gears up for the end of the year, Grace is also making plans for the fall of 2024. As a standout student at OE with a 3.9 GPA, Grace plans to attend the University of Missouri and major in elementary education. “Ever since I was little I wanted to be a teacher,” says Grace. She adds, “I have worked at a daycare for the past 2 years, and watching them grow older and develop is rewarding.”

Teaching is already a calling for Grace. Carla says, “Grace loves kids and has always wanted to be an elementary teacher. She has worked at Cadence Academy Preschool in Aurora, and when she first got the job we joked it would either solidify her future in teaching or she’d never want to see kids again. The job has more than solidified her position, and even on tough days when the kids are very active she comes home with a smile and full of stories about what the kids did that day.”

Sarah Mantooth, a Science teacher at OE, raves about not only Grace as a person and student but also her future as a teacher, saying, “Grace has an incredibly positive and contagious energy. Her smile welcomes all around her and she shows a kindness and sincerity that is refreshing. As a student, Grace shows tremendous engagement and draws her peers into the work enthusiastically. I know Grace is going to be successful in all that she works to achieve. She shows patience, compassion, and genuine interest in all her interactions which will serve her well with elementary students and everyone she works with.”

Golf has been a tremendous opportunity for Grace. Not only is she a more invested student in the OE community, but golf has provided her with a passion she can continue for the rest of her life, as well as a new skill set, building both physical and mental strength. Grace continues to echo the sentiments of past recipients of the Athlete of the Week award by advising future Wolves, “Make sure to get involved in as much as you can at OE.” Grace’s leap of faith in trying something new rewarded her with new friends a new passion, and hopefully by the end of her senior year, new trophies for OE.