Grace Welzenbach, only a sophomore at JC, is playing in her second season on the JC women’s basketball team.

For Grace, basketball is everything. “Basketball means a lot to me. It is the thing I go to if I’m having a rough day or I just need something to do.”
She has been playing basketball since she was five-years-old. “I knew basketball was my sport when I didn’t feel the same feeling playing other sports. Basketball has always made me happy.”
Grace was the only freshman to make the varsity basketball team last year. It was a goal that she worked towards for years.
She said, “It felt amazing. It was a great accomplishment.”
Grace’s head coach, Coach Tyrell Howard-Franklin, had his eye on Grace at her freshman year tryouts.
One thing that really stood out to him was “when she was left open, she could flat-out shoot the ball, and she was willing and able to meet the challenge of being the sole freshman on varsity.”
Now that Grace is a sophomore, she feels even more ready for the 2020-2021 season. She said, “This year I am so much more confident, and I have a great group of girls supporting me and the team.”
Not only does Grace believe this, but Coach Howard-Frankin does as well. “Grace has shown a new level of confidence in her game and her abilities; she has also adjusted nicely to the speed and pace of high school varsity basketball.”
Something that really lifts Grace up is the support from her coaches.
“Through my first two years, my coaches have always been there for me whether it’s in practice, on the court during a game, or just seeing them around the halls.”
Grace doesn’t only have goals for herself this year, but she also has some for the entire team this season. One of Grace’s goals for the team this year is to “create great chemistry that we can use to help push ourselves to play the best we can.”
She also holds herself to her own goals. Grace said, “My goals for myself this year are to bring positive energy to the team and to always be there for my teammates whether it’s basketball-related or in the classroom.”
Grace was excited for the official season to finally start. She had missed her teammates during the pandemic and was excited to get back on the court.
Prior to the beginning of the season, Grace remarked, “I’m looking forward to spending time with the girls and getting to form great friendships with my teammates.