Oswego East Student Athlete of the Week-Grace Klingbeil

After reaching the sectional championship last season, the Wolves softball team graduated a great deal of talent, headlined by Emily Schultz (Stanford University) and Juvia Davis (Indiana University). Losing so much senior-laden talent leads to a down year the next season, but the Wolves and new head coach Sarah Davies are only looking to reload. Junior Grace Klingbeil has taken over as the ace of the Wolves staff, and her competitive spirit and talent are one of the reasons the Wolves have not missed a beat, which is why she is this week's Oswego East student-athlete of the week.

Grace picked up the sport of softball when she was 8 years old. Grace has played with the same travel team since she was 8 year's old, making some of her closest friends along the way. It was here that Grace developed not only her fierce competitive nature but also a reason for being on the mound each game.

Pitching is often looked to as a focal point of any softball team, as a good pitcher can carry a team when the offense or defense is not clicking. Having so much focus on one position might lead a player to believe they are bigger than the team, but Grace's inspiration and drive to be successful is actually inspired by the opposite. It is her love for her teammates that pushes her to be as successful as possible.

"My teammates drive me to continue working to improve because when I'm on the mound I don't want to let them down," says Grace. Grace's mother, Laurie Klingbeil, understands just how much motivation Grace gets from being successful for her teammates, saying, "I think part of the reason she does not like to let down her teammates is that she sees them as her friends and does not want to disappoint them."

New head coach Sarah Davies has had an opportunity to work with Grace the last three seasons and understands just how important of a role she will play on this year's team. "Grace is the ultimate team player," says Sarah. She goes on to add, "She is not boastful and supports her teammates. She is quiet but confident. Reserved, yet not afraid to speak up this year. She is physically stronger and mentally tougher and that can only lend itself to success."

Despite losing a great deal of talent from last year's team, Davies believes this group has the potential to be even stronger. "We lost talent but we also gained a ton more," says Davies. She adds, "I have no doubt in my mind that this team is just as talented and strong as last years' group. Even though last year was incredible, I have a feeling this group is just as strong as well. There were girls waiting their turn on JV who have incredible potential and will be fun to watch this season."

Stepping into the role of the ace on the team, Grace will be counted on to help lead that new talent to succeed. Last season, Grace threw 83 innings with a 2.76 E.R.A., 45 strikeouts, 1.193 WHIP, and an FPS% of .598. This season, Grace will be asked to throw against the toughest teams on the Wolves schedule, and there is little doubt she is up for the challenge.

Part of Grace's inspiration to leave her mark on the softball field, as well as her plans after high school, come from her older sister Jordyn (OE class of 2014). "Grace's older sister Jordyn has had a big impact on her in many ways," says Laurie. She continues by adding, "Jodryn played softball as well, and has motivated Grace to push herself and always work on getting better. Jordyn is getting her masters in Psychology this fall, which has sparked an interest in Grace to pursue a similar path."

Only a junior, Grace has plans to hopefully continue playing softball in college and major in sports psychology. Her U.S. History, Matt Engelhardt, who is also the head baseball coach, has helped Grace use sports as a metaphor for life and understands what makes Grace successful.

"Grace's best characteristic is her personality," says Matt. He adds, "She approaches every person and situation with a positive attitude and smile. Having Grace in a social studies class has created opportunities to talk about the role sports play in our communities and our culture. In particular, we have often talked about the role of leadership and how to create positive changes in culture."

Grace's leadership and play are one of the many reasons the Wolves have been able to get off to a 10-4 start on the year, and there are little signs they plan on slowing down. If the Wolves are to reach a sectional championship game again this year, with a possibility of a state playoff berth, Grace's, and others, leadership will play a big role in helping the new faces on the Wolves contribute to their success. As the consummate team player, Grace advises future Wolves too, "Communicate well with your coaches. They don't care about physical errors, but they do care about the attitude you have after making mistakes. They want athletes who can maintain a positive attitude." Hopefully, for the Wolves, Grace's positive attitude and competitive nature will help put the team in a position to be the first to win a sectional championship.