An Indian Lake alumnus, who has made a career of sports excellence, is challenging Indian Lake student athletes to build a culture of success.
Stephanie Tracey-Simmons was a three-sport standout at Indian Lake High School in the early 1990s. After playing Division 1 Volleyball at Ohio University, she spent years as a strength and conditioning coach at UCLA and UK. She is now in administration at the University of Kentucky.
In a meeting of Indian Lake student athletes from middle and high school, she asked, "Do you choose to be your very best everyday? If you have good culture, you touch the line every time."
Tracey Simmons said she is proud to have been raised on a farm in Logan County and knows her work ethic and focus began at home.
She gave students of list of lesson she learned from her farming days that apply to athletics and life:
1. You reap what you sow. You must put in the work in the off season.
2. The early bird gets the worm. Be disciplined, organized and intentional
3. Save (train) for a rainy day. You must have an emergency fund of strength and mental focus that can get you through long and tough contests
4. Anything worth doing is worth doing well. When you get a chance to do your best, do it. Be ready.
5. Pruning is necessary for growth. Do not sandbag at practice, push each other to be better.
6. Keep hitting the rock. It's not one hammer swing that causes a rock to split, but the accumulated result of hundreds of swings before.
7. It takes a village. Know your role on the team, be the best bench warmer you can be if that's your role
8. Stay hungry. Keep challenging yourself to improve, never be satisfied
9. Time is one of life's greatest mysteries. Use your time wisely. Your high school sports days are precious.
10. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Be creative and seek solutions to problems on and off the court.
She challenged the young people to know their purpose and understand that conformity can be a bad thing, if the wrong characteristics are repeated. She also told them, "Your coaches and teachers see glimpses of greatness in you that you may not see in yourself."
Tracey-Simmons visit was facilitated by IL Athletics Director Jeff Courter.