SuburbanOneSports.com recognizes a male and female featured athlete each week. The awards, sponsored by Univest, are given to seniors of good character who are students in good standing that have made significant contributions to their teams. Selections are based on nominations received from coaches, athletic directors and administrators.
Univest’s SuburbanOneSports.com Featured Female Athlete (Week of April 18, 2024)
Transitioning to a new coach is never easy. Unless, that is, you happen to be Grace Stepp. The Council Rock South senior and her senior softball teammates are playing for their third coach in four years, and while that could have been the recipe for disaster, the transition has been something close to seamless. Listening to Scott Molle tell it, Stepp has played a major role in making sure that happened. “Coming in, we needed to build the culture I wanted to see with this team, and Grace was key with that,” the Golden Hawks’ first-year coach said. “The first time I met them – I could tell the girls gravitate towards her. It seemed to me as though if we were going to get them to buy in – she was going to be a big part of getting the rest of the girls to be on board also, knowing that we have something special here and we could do some damage. She was a key part in accepting that, and all the other girls saw that and are going with it. It’s just amazing how everyone is bought in, and she was key.”
Stepp has earned her status as a leader of the Golden Hawks. A four-year all-league honoree, she was the first team All-SOL Patriot Division catcher last year, and while Molle has not named captains, Stepp is an undisputed leader. “If you had to pick one leader on your team, she’s it,” the Rock South coach said. “She’s amazing. Beyond the player, she’s a leader. She’s a senior, so she’s keeping the underclassmen under her wings. Overall, she takes the lead on things. If I need something done, she’s already on it. She’s an incredible person.”
Stepp’s willingness to readily accept yet another change in coaches for her final high school season was significant. “It was hard mentally for a little bit because it’s just a lot continuing to change coaches, but it wasn’t ever a bad thing for me,” Stepp said. “I never was really upset or angry about it. You have to make sure everybody is on board and everyone will agree and go along with everything, so I feel that was my main role. With my personality, I can get everybody’s energy up. It’s just been good. There have never been any problems. I’ve loved every single coach I’ve had.”
Playing at the collegiate level was a natural progression for Stepp, who looked at Widener, Haverford, Kutztown and Monmouth, but when the University of Massachusetts Lowell entered the picture, it was an easy choice for Stepp. “One of my best friends is playing for them right now,” she said of UMass Lowell. “I went up to see the school, and I just loved it. I loved the coaches – they’re all so fun, they’re good people, and I liked the school as well. I really liked the campus, and then I went up for my (official) visit, and I loved the people.”
An excellent student, Stepp is a member of the English National Honor Society. She is involved in the school’s Buddy Club that works with special needs students and plans to major in psychology or special education. “I really love working with special needs children,” she said. “This year I did unified gym, and I think I really want to be a special ed teacher and, if not, some psych major or go into psychology.” For now, Stepp is focusing on her final softball season with a Golden Hawks squad that is off to a fast start. “I’m trying to enjoy each game because who knows when it will end,” she said. “I’ve been waiting for this year. Last year, we were good, and we started it, but this year we are really going for it. We all get along, we all pick each other up, we’re all positive, we all work together and hold each other accountable. It’s exactly what a team is.” Stepp’s upbeat approach to softball and life has helped make taking over the helm of a new program easier than Molle might have anticipated. “I’m just blessed that I have her,” the Rock South coach said. “I talked to my seniors and said, ‘I’m sorry you’re going through your third coaching staff, but I’m telling you – ‘Buy into what we’re doing, and it’s going to be good.’ Grace spearheaded that. It’s beyond words what they’ve been doing. She’s made an impact on me as a coach, and I’ve been doing this for 20-some years. Few players can do that. She’s amazing.”
To read Stepp’s complete profile, please click on the following link: https://suburbanonesports.com/featured-athletes/female/grace-stepp-00112149
Univest’s SuburbanOneSports.com Featured Male Athlete (Week of April 18, 2024)
A self-professed surfer dude with an affinity for The Beach Boys and Bob Marley, Pennridge senior Brady Fish has learned to make surfing a metaphor for life and how to live it. “I’m a huge fan of the beach,” he said. “I’ve probably gone surfing like 10 times (at Long Beach Island) these last few summers and I’ve gotten pretty good at it. I’m a pretty big surfer dude. That’s what a lot of people describe me as.” Motivated a lot by the words of Muhammad Ali, Fish rides the waves as they come, never getting too up or down about too much. His favorite saying is to not let yesterday take up too much of today, and he has used it in his athletic career and in his academic pursuits.
Naturally, it came from the movie Surf’s Up, a favorite movie. “While it was a joke in the movie, it means to not let events, like a bad play you made in the past, affect how you play now,” said Fish, who also enjoys hiking. “Don’t let one bad situation define how you go about the rest of your day. Don’t let the past ruin your current decisions because it’s just going to ruin your life. Even when I got rejected from a college, I was sad that day but then I just moved on to the next one the next day. When a bad thing happens in my life, I try not to focus on it too much. There is far too much goodness to let that one thing ruin how I view the world.”
When he failed to secure a starting spot on the powerful Rams volleyball team, Fish didn’t waste time feeling sorry for himself. Playing a role that equates to a sixth man in basketball, Fish is supportive of his teammates. “I’m a kind of a backup for every hitting position right now,” said Fish. “If someone gets hurt, I’m the first one to go in. Most people would be disappointed, but our team is great, and I understand that.” His role also includes entertaining the crowd by having a special handshake with each starter when they are announced. “Whenever they announce a starter’s name, I have a personal handshake with each and every one of them,” Fish said. “It’s like a personal sendoff before they go onto the court. The crowd loves it, and I love doing it. A lot of people find enjoyment in it, and it’s just a fun thing to do with my teammates.”
As far as coach Dave Childs is concerned, Fish is a valued member of a squad with high aspirations for the season. “He’s a really solid player,” said the coach. “He would start on pretty much any other team. While he is a backup for us, he is a really good player that we rely on. He is just a good kid to have on your team.” Fish not only supplies depth but also character for the Rams. “He put in a lot of time in the offseason, just like all the other guys,” said Childs. “He’s just another member of the group. It’s a tight group that has played together for a while, and he is a fun to have as part of that group. He gets along with everyone. He’s always positive and providing encouragement to everyone on the team. He is someone who has leadership ability. While he knows when the joke around, he knows when to be serious. Having that kind of a person around at practice is important. He can also play at a high level and push his teammates that way, too.”
Although he ranks fourth in his senior class of around 500 – and serves as class president, vice president of National Honor Society and treasurer of Key Club – Fish did not make the final cut at all the colleges he considered attending. So, he focused on the ones that did want the aspiring lawyer – Villanova, South Carolina and Fordham – and has, more or less, decided on the Villanova honors program. “It will most likely be Villanova,” said Fish, who has a GPA in the 4.8 range. “It’s closer, and it’s better for my major.” Fish is also looking at becoming a marathon runner, like his dad, Dan. However, this the cart before the horse. Academics remain a priority. “School is my main strength,” he said. “When middle school started, that’s when I really started to work hard at school. I knew that’s when it was really going to start to matter, and I’ve been on this path ever since.”
To read Fish’s complete profile, please click on the following link: https://suburbanonesports.com/featured-athletes/male/brady-fish-00112148
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