STUDENT-ATHLETES often get a bad reputation. Grace Bump, a sophomore at Claremore High School is changing that narrative. Sure, some athletes do just enough to stay eligible. But she has a GPA of 4.1. She’s the epitome of a student-athlete in so many ways.
It’s naive to think that student-athletes don’t make good grades. While it’s true, on average, players spend more than 25 hours in the gym per week, some players spend just as much time focusing on their academics.
“Being a student-athlete is hard but I try to manage my time between my studies and playing basketball,” said Bump.
Student-athletes juggle more demands than the typical student. By the time their classmates complete their homework, student-athletes have already practiced and completed next week’s science project. Speaking of science, that’s Bump’s favorite subject in school. She aspires to be a doctor or work in the medical field.
Despite the heavy load of AP classes and basketball practice, she manages to find time to hang out with her friends.
While she’s a great shooter, she’s still trying to perfect her skills at the bowling alley. “I make time for fun, I go bowling a lot but I have to use the bumpers,” said Bump as we share a laugh.
But, on a serious note, she dropped a few words of wisdom for other student-athletes. Say’s Bump, “ Focus on your academics, take care of your body and stay in the gym.”
She has the grades to snag an academic scholarship to her dream school, Baylor University, but she’s hoping to secure an athletic scholarship.
She’s wanted to attend Baylor since she was a young girl. While she knows that she has to put the work in, she also knows that she can’t do it alone.
Says Bump, “I always keep God first and I wouldn’t have the ability to play or do good in school if it wasn’t for him.”
Every practice for her ends with a prayer.
Amen.