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She began taking part in volleyball as a center blocker in center faculty and membership volleyball, then moved to rightside hitter as a freshman and sophomore, and now has been an out of doors hitter the previous two seasons.
All of the whereas, Gruhn has discovered a option to not simply contribute to the Purple Elephants each on offense and protection, however grow to be a power in each areas.
“This yr has most likely been the top for her,” Gainesville coach Randy Roys stated of Kerrigan Gruhn. “I believe she’s approaching one thing like 700 kills (for her profession). … “We inform our gamers, ‘You’ve obtained to be versatile.’ So she’s undoubtedly taken benefit of that. She’s taking part in all the way in which round now so far as defensively. That is the primary yr she’s carried out that.
“She’s carried out a superb job with that. I believe she’s our chief on the staff in (service) aces and undoubtedly the chief on the staff in kills, and possibly second to our libero in digs. She’s had a really productive senior yr.”
Gruhn has completed all her achievements all through her profession after coming into this system with a seemingly excessive bar to clear in dwelling as much as the success her household title has had over almost the previous 60 years, notably that of her grandfather.
Nonetheless, whereas that type of household legacy might sound slightly intimidating, her household and her coaches went to nice pains to assist her perceive that she didn’t have to really feel any stress to reside as much as something any of her elder relations ever completed.
“Me and my spouse have by no means put stress on her to carry out or reside as much as any requirements,” Matthew Gruhn stated. “So I believe that’s helped, and I believe each our ladies – Madeline performed tennis, and Kerrigan’s success has been very neat – have simply wanted to be the perfect they are often. So I believe that’s labored out nicely.”
And for her half, Kerrigan says she by no means felt any such stress, notably with regard to her grandfather. Maybe that’s as a result of she by no means even met Bobby Gruhn, who handed away in 1995, lengthy earlier than she was even born.
“Clearly, I want greater than something that I might’ve gotten to fulfill him, and I’ll sometime. Simply not right here (on Earth),” Kerrigan Gruhn stated of her grandfather, who was additionally a longtime Drivers Training instructor at Gainesville Excessive. “I grew up all the time listening to tales about him. It looks like in all places I’m going with my Dad, somebody’s all the time telling (him), ‘Your Dad was my soccer coach or Driver’s Ed instructor,’ and I hear all of the tales.
“It’s actually cool as a result of although he’s not on this earth anymore, his legacy is, clearly, nonetheless current. For certain, I obtained to know him (by means of these tales). I can keep in mind (one) little story once I (took) Driver’s Ed in the beginning of my sophomore yr. My instructor was once actually good pals with my grandfather, so he would inform me tales your entire six hours we had been collectively, however I didn’t thoughts. I assumed it was actually cool. It’s actually particular to have such an incredible grandfather and with the ability to graduate on his area.”
Ah, the tales.
There are such a lot of of them that, a few of them do get previous after some time, although as Kerrigan has gotten older, she has embraced listening to them, even most of the ones she’s already heard.
As she identified, they’ve supplied her a possibility to be taught loads about her grandfather as a lot as a person as concerning the athletics legend that he was.
“I really feel like once I was little, possibly (it was tiresome), simply because I didn’t actually perceive how many individuals knew him,” Kerrigan Gruhn stated. “However as I’ve grown up, I’ve cherished listening to tales about him as a result of I by no means obtained to know him in particular person, however by means of these tales, I’m studying about who he was as an individual and all of the superb issues he did for therefore many individuals, and never simply in soccer.”
As a lot as she has appreciates the household historical past and studying all about it, she has put plenty of her give attention to her current as a senior with the Purple Elephants, and future, which she hopes will embody taking part in volleyball in school.
Gruhn at present holds a scholarship provide from Life College, and likewise has obtained curiosity from different school packages like Southern Wesleyan, Maryville (Tenn.) School, Emmanuel School and Truett-McConnell College.
Nonetheless, there are occasions the place she wonders what she may say to her grandfather if she had the possibility to talk to him.
She says it might have extra to do with the Gruhn’s legacy as a household than something any particular person member has carried out in an athletic setting.
“Loads. I’d most likely say, “Thanks for giving me your athletic genes. It’s a lot appreciated,’” Gruhn stated. “And I might simply inform him, ‘You raised a extremely good son. I’ve obtained a extremely good Dad.’”
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