Kenzie Grifka '21 Recruiting Profile

Growing up, I have always had a competitive spirit, which led me to participate in a wide range of sports, including, cheer, dance, softball, and volleyball, but nothing has been as rewarding as track. Track has provided me with much more than teammates and trophies. My freshman year of high school, I false started at our league meet, which was my last chance to qualify for states. I was devastated that I could not run at the state meet after all the hard work I put into my times.This experience made me a more dedicated runner as I am more committed to my training than previously. This winter indoor track season, I qualified for states early on in the season, yet continued to work hard to improve my times for the meet. Heartbreakingly, I came down with the flu the weekend before states and was unable to go to school or practice for that entire week. I still decided to go to the meet and run, knowing I worked too hard to not run at all. Even though I did not place anywhere near where I wanted to, I am proud of myself for overcoming the obstacles thrown at me and persevering and trying my hardest. Track has taught me not only about running and hurdling, but also about how to learn from my mistakes and failures in order to become a better athlete.