Athletes of the Week: Graesen Campbell and Taylor Spradling

The Athletes of the Week for the week of April 22 are lacrosse player and junior Graesen Campbell and softball player and sophomore Taylor Spradling.

Campbell has been playing lacrosse for the past eight years. She previously ran in cross country for three years until this year when she was injured.

Campbell began to play lacrosse in the third grade because her sister started playing the sport and she then wanted to as well. Her parents signed her up for the Oak Hills Elementary School lacrosse team and she’s played lacrosse ever since.

Grraesen Campbell

 

“I like the competitiveness of lacrosse because I’m a pretty competitive person and being on a team with these girls is so much fun. The hardest part is learning how to work with your teammates cohesively learning how to make decisions that benefit the team, not the individual player in games,” Campbell wrote to the Talon.

Campbell explained that she is “excited” to be chosen as an Athlete of the Week. She suggested that any athletes who aspire to be chosen should always work the hardest in their respective sport and be the best team member they can be both on and off of the playing field.

“I feel as if I’ve improved a lot as an athlete over the past three years and under our current coach who has helped me a lot to become a better player and refine my skills,” Campbell wrote. “Sports has helped me academically too because you learn to balance out your schedule and you’re forced to get your work done and not procrastinate.”

Spradling has played softball since she was seven-years-old. She got her start in softball by watching the Dodgers on TV. Her dad played baseball during his OPHS years and Spradling “wanted to follow in their footsteps and make them proud.”

Taylor Spradling

“As a student, I feel that I have improved at OPHS by surrounding myself with intelligent, kind-hearted people,” Spradling wrote to the Talon. “They make me want to be a better student and improve my grades. As an OPHS athlete, I feel I have improved by persevering. It is definitely not easy, but makes a big difference in the long run.”

Spradling felt she was nominated because of her attitude. She loves playing sports and wants everyone else to enjoy it as well.

“The thing I like most about softball is the people I have met along the way,” Spradling wrote. “The hardest part is believing in myself. Confidence is a crucial part of sports and without it, the entire aspect of the game changes.”