High school student-athletes invest a lot of time and effort into reaching their highest potential. While the work is important, Gracie Epps knows that surrounding yourself with outstanding people can also play a big role. And she has three men that have been impactful to her.
“My two grandpas, Bill Nelson and Roger Epps, along with my dad, Luke Epps have all been huge role models for me. They have helped me as an athlete and as a person. I would not be the person I am today without each of them.”
Gracie is a senior with Epic Charter Schools. She attributes a lot of her success on the court to her training at RH91 Tennis Center.
“RH91 has helped me tremendously,” she stated. “They have helped me evolve my game into what it is now. Matias Marin, my private coach, has spent countless hours with me and has put up with my goofy and moody days. He has always shown how much he cares and has always pushed me to become better.”
As a student, Gracie says that her mom is one of the people she learns the most from.
“My mom has been the teacher in my life with the ever-changing impact,” she said. “She has shown me how to get through life with discipline and faith. She loves me unconditionally and has shown me what it’s like to love others that way. She is one of my best friends and I couldn’t imagine where I would be in life without her.”
The people she has around her are vital to her success, but she has put in many hours of work and effort to be her best.
“It has taken countless hours on and off the court,” she said. “I’ve sacrificed a lot growing up. I was homeschooled so I could train for many hours during the day so I didn’t have a normal social life. I pushed my body to the limit for the majority of my training days. I had to be extremely disciplined with my sleep and eating habits. I woke up really early most days. I wasn’t home very often due to training and traveling for tournaments. I missed a lot of moments with my family in order to pursue my dream. At the end of the day, it was all worth it.”.
