Alum Challenges Girls to Get Involved

Alum Challenges Girls to Get Involved
Posted on 05/05/2016
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An Indian Lake High School alumnus, who has excelled in sports all her life, hopes to inspire more girls to take part in extracurricular activities. 
Stephanie Tracey-Simmons recently spoke to girls in grades 6 through 11 about how being a part of a team can influence and enhance your life.
Tracey-Simmons was a three sport stand-out in the early 90s at ILHS. She earned 2nd Team All-Ohio in Volleyball and Softball her senior year and 1st Team All-Ohio in Softball as a junior. She went on play collegiate volleyball at Ohio University, where she was a 4-year letter winner. Tracey-Simmons is now the Associate Athletic Director for Women's Softball and Women's Soccer at the University of Kentucky. Prior to Kentucky, Tracey-Simmons spent four years at UCLA as the associate head strength coach. 
Before presenting at ILHS, Tracey Simmons surveyed female student athletes whom she currently works with about what they've learned from athletics. Their top four responses centered around learning time management skills, developing confidence and leadership qualities, improving from failures and the joy of being on a team.
Simmons-Tracey shared her personal motto: "Keep hitting the rock." She told the girls if you keep working hard enough, you'll eventually crack and demolish the rock. However, it's not the last hit that crushes the rock, but the thousands of hits before that break it down.  
She encourages girls to take risks, get involved in some sport or activity and take a friend along.