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Personal Statement
I am Grace Sherman, a high school junior. And I’m a dual athlete, balancing my time between water polo and swimming. I am a sprinter, driver, and utility player for Dynamo Youth Water Polo Club (Atlanta, GA) and a State-qualifying USA swimmer with Spartan’s Aquatics, a competitive USA-swim club located north of Atlanta. My experience in water polo at the National, Regional and State level are outlined below, but first I’d like you to know why I play water polo.
Everyone who seeks to play water polo in college has a list of achievements. And, I too, have a strong list of National, Regional and State-level experience, awards, honors and achievements. But what makes me “different” is that I hadn’t even heard of water polo till my first game 26 months ago. I was invited to play only because I’m a year-round club swimmer – and the coach needed to put someone in the pool who was unlikely to drown. Well, I survived that first game – and left wanting more! I’ve learned that when doing something I really love, the hours pass like minutes, the most grueling practices are invigorating, and bigger, stronger opponents (who have played for many more years than I have) only make me raise my game. It’s taken a lot of hard work, great coaching, patience, and supportive teammates to set me up for the success I’ve had these past two years. My focus now is to be the best player in the pool, every time I touch the ball. Perseverance, grit, and passion make me a great recruit for a competitive women's college team. I look forward to continue learning, competing, and being part of a successful team during my four years in college.
Water Polo Experience, Achievements and Honors
I’ve been twice selected for the USA Water Polo Olympic Development Program, representing the Southeastern ODP Zone Team in the USA National Championships. In 2016, I was selected for the Cadet Team as a freshman, despite having never played water polo before that season. As a sophomore, I qualified for the 2017 ODP Youth Team and traveled to California for my second national championship. I also competed in the 2017 Junior Olympics National Championships when my club team, Dynamo Youth Water Polo, became the first-ever Georgia-based team to qualify for Junior Olympics.
I play Varsity water polo for two Georgia high school teams: Atlanta Public School’s (APS) Division I A team (Co-ed) and the APS Girls’ team. Earlier this month, after just two full years of playing water polo, I was awarded 2017 Georgia’s Most Valuable Player of the League/Girls’ Division. It was the culmination of a season when I led all Georgia High School Water Polo Association teams, both Co-Ed and Girls’, with 61 goals in the Girls’ games alone. I won over 80% of sprints, registered 48 assists, and recorded 35 blocks and steals (all Girls’ league stats only). It marked the first time that a player, on a team placing fourth in the state, was awarded Georgia’s Most Valuable Player.
I’m a two-time recipient of the APS Knights’ Most Valuable Player for the Girls’ Team, serving as Co-Captain for 2017. I am a three-time member of the Georgia High School Water Polo Association (GHSWPA) ALL-State Team, with two years on the 1st Team and my rookie year on the All-State 2nd Team. And, just as important, I was selected for the 2017 GHSWPA All-Star Team (Girls’ Division), a group of players nominated by league coaches, referees, and GHSWPA leaders, to recognize positive sportsmanship, leadership and contributions to the Girls’ league each season.
During the 2017 season, which wrapped up in early October, I played nearly 40 games in just under eight weeks, leading the Girls’ team as co-captain, and playing in every game (most often as a starter) for our Division I A Co-ed Team. (As one of the few states with both co-ed and girls’ leagues, Georgia allows me to play twice as many games each season, affording more opportunity to learn how to play under pressure, and experience competing with bigger, stronger players.)
I earned the 2017 All-American Athlete Scholar Award/Outstanding Honors by maintaining a 4.0 GPA, or higher, while participating in a National USA Water Polo event. In addition, I’m a two-time American Water Polo (AWP) Scholar-Athlete Award recipient.
When I'm not playing water polo, I'm actively training with my year-round USA swim club, Spartan's Aquatics. I've been competing in USA swim meets for over 10 years. I’ve earned Georgia All-Star recognition for AAAA motivational times as an age-group swimmer as well as scored points for my team in Age Group State Championships. For eight consecutive years, I have qualified in multiple events for both short-course and long-course age-group and senior state championships. I often do two-a-day practices, cover thousands of yards each week and put in hundreds of hours each year. Competitive swimming has given me a solid foundation: it's part of the reason why I'm such a fast, strong and mentally competitive water polo player. And it continues to be a very important part of my life.
