Grace Strabala-Karosich '26 Recruiting Profile

Hi there, I'm Grace!

I want to start off by letting you all know you can follow me on YouTube where I try to keep all my lastest races and basketball highlights up to date:

Athletic.Net for Track: https://www.athletic.net/athlete/19957205/track-and-field/high-school

Max Preps for G Basketball: https://www.maxpreps.com/nv/minden/douglas-tigers/athletes/grace-strabala-karosich/?careerid=2654vssikqik4

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZMA7Zeua2vGNpwgNAc--6Q

My Instagram is:   grace_strabala_karosich

     I am currently a Junior at Douglas High School in Northern Nevada.  I run the 100m, 200m, 400m, 4x100 relay and 4x200 relay and am currently ranked #1 in Northern Nevada, and #8 in the State; for 100m & 8th in 200m. On 5/11/24 I won all 4 Northern Nevada Regional events I completed in, and in doing so, broke my schools records in the 100m, 200m, and 4x200m.  After placing 1st at Regionals in all my races, I went to State to compete both of the 100 & 200m as well as the 4x100 & 4x200 relays with my teammates.  Also, this 2024 spring season I made the  "Girls 2024 Northern Nevada 5A All-Region Track Team on the “1st team”, in the 100m, 200m, 4x100r & 4x200r. Although I didnt do as well as I would have liked at State, I still am ranked #1 in Northern Nevada for all my races, as none of my regional competators touched my PRs.  Last season (as a sophomore) was only my 3rd year running track, and I look forward continue to getting better, stronger and faster every time I hit the track.  Finally, the last 2 years, I was given the honor of my schools "Top Female Sprinter" with my name added to the plaque that hangs proudly in the school commons.  During our EOY banquet, when awarded "Top Female Sprinter", my coach referred to me as "the fastest female he has coached in 10yrs; Im hungry, humble and the hardest worker in the room", and acknowledged the fact that I "personally earned 127 points for my team (not including relays)"; I won every race I ran, except 2.  I didn't realize that at the time, of course I love to win, but my goal is always to be better and faster than my last race and try to apply everything I learn in order to accomplish that.  I have great coaches who believe in me, and I just want to make them proud!  Going into the season this year, I feel stronger and faster than ever and cant wait to start putting up great times in sprints and get back to long jumping.  Also, I have been given the honor of being the girls "sprints & jumps" Captain this year!

     I have been very fortunate to have some great experiences in the past couple years, namely after my freshman year I was selected, after a rigorous application process, to represent Nevada at the Summer FBI Youth Leadership Academy at Quantico, VA.  Not only did I have an great time, but I ran the legendary "Yellow Brick Road" challenge that all FBI agents run, and finished in the top 10 out of 58 people; the FBI Academy was an experience I wish everyone could have.  I am very involved within my school as well, I am in leadership and a student club called “ambush”.  I am an excellent student and work hard in all my classes and have excellent grades, earning me "High Honor Roll" both semesters last year and the first semester this year.

     When I am not running track, you can find me starting as point-guard and forward on the DHS Varsity basketball team, volunteering in my community and in my church, playing the guitar & ukulele, camping and hiking with my family, working part-time at our local sandwich shop and serving the community through my church youth group and Leadership. This past summer I went to Belize on a 10-day mission trip with my church youth group to serve the people of the Seine Bight Village, it was an incredible, humbling experience and I hope to be able to do more of these in the future.  For the past 3 years, I've helped coach the 6th-8th grade girls basketball team at our two valley middle schools and plan to continue to help coach for the next few couple years.  I love being able to help the younger girls learn plays, ball handling, shooting techniques, teamwork and generally get better every time they hit the court;  watching their love of the game grow brings me so much joy!  Additionally, I love helping and mentoring younger track teammates; the younger girls look up to me and see me as a rolemodel, often times seeking my input on how they can improve.  I hope that my willingness to help the younger girls will give them the desire to pass along what they learn to younger athletes as well.

     I work hard at everything I do, and know my coaches see me as a very coachable athlete and leader to my teammates.  I am blessed to have such great coaches who see potential in me and help me be the best athlete I can be; I wouldn't be where I am if it weren't for them.  During the fall, while I am not playing basketball or track, I am working out, building leg muscles, flexibility and agility so I can be stronger for the up coming seasons.  This and every season I will continue to work hard and do better each meet/game, and am so excited to see how much I've grown at the end.  

Blessings, 

Grace