LHS sophomore athlete Maisah Gradin-core has built resilience throughout a season that has come with a lot of pressure, mental challenges and team relationships that made her more confident playing varsity volleyball enter varsity for the first time.

Playing with a completely new team made it hard early on because of everyone’s different playing styles. She described her first match as “overwhelming”, and limited team chemistry as she learned to adjust to varsity level demands.

As the season passed, her confidence grew noticeably. She got better during practice, improved connection with teammates, and built trust on and off the court. Throughout the middle of the season Maisah also began taking more responsibility during games, stepping into moments where her teammates relied on her to stay composed.

She started watching films and studying her own mistakes to understand how to contribute more effectively. The coach noted how her focus sharpened especially during tough matchups where she showed experiences even while being a sophomore. These small but steady improvements helped her feel like she truly belonged on the team. 

By her final match her decision making was calmer “She never gave up on me, even when I doubted myself,” Referring to teammate Thy Nguyen. The Team bonding became one of the most meaningful parts of her experiences practicing with the team and hanging out with the building relationships she hadn’t expected. Those connections helped her overcome internal pressures that made her nervous “One of the hardest workers during practice” her team said.

Gradin-core’s season reflects steady personal growth shaped by support, discipline and hard work with her teammates. Her journey shows how perseverance and connection can build an early foundation for future Division 1 athletes like her success both academically and athletically.