By Derrick Smith

Grace Hulsey played in her first softball game when she was six years old. Since then, she  has worked hard and has had a solid career. As she looks back on it, she has made a lot of great memories with her teammates and coaches but says that there is one moment that she is really the proudest of. 

“My sophomore year of high school, I threw 43 strikes during regionals,” she said. “It’s my favorite because the satisfaction of knowing I made a positive impact on the games for me, the team. and my coaches.”

Hulsey is a junior at Chandler High School. She plays pitcher, shortstop, second base, and third base as a member of the fast pitch softball team. She is also a member of the school’s powerlifting team.

As a member of two sports teams, Grace has put in a lot of work in order to become as good as she is. 

“I have spent many countless hours and nights of hard work in the field and being focused enough to stay home and work towards my goals while others are going out and having fun,” said Grace.

While she has put in hours of work, Grace knows that she could not have done it without a special group of people that have always been there for her. 

“My parents and coaches have had such a huge impact on my life,” she said. “They all have had patience with me and helped me push myself to be one percent better each and every day.”

Another person that has had an influence on Hulsey’s life is her math teacher, Susan Morton.

“She has not only taught me many equations,” Grace said. “But also, many things that are more important than that. She is a huge part of our community and showed me that nothing is too much to take on if you are determined. She does many tasks here in Chandler that many would find too overwhelming.”