Grace Gardella '17 Recruiting Profile

My name is Grace Gardella and I would love to pole vault at the collegiate level. I spent my whole life on a team since I was a young girl. I started gymnastics at age 5 and from there I advanced on a competitive gymnastics team and devoted every day to training. My schedule was school, then gymnastics from 5:30 to 9:30, then repeat. In freshman and sophomore year I competed representing my high school as an individual and qualified for state championships. Over the years, I loved learning new skills and being part of a team and I couldn't ask for a better experience that shapes who I am today. All of the struggles and successes, injuries and comebacks, have given me a strong work ethic. The sport taught me commitment and dedication, and what it takes to be successful. I was a level 9 gymnast, and placed at competitions at the state and regional level. 

Then, over the summer, I took a community service trip to Ecuador with an organization, World Challenge. I now regard this trip as the most impactful, most life-changing experience I have ever had. On this trip not only did I learn how to work with a group of students to accomplish different challenges everyday, but I also got to experience life in a third world country, something I had always wanted to do. My group and I lived in hostels in Quito, tents in the Andes, and had the amazing opportunity to stay in a small village called Tengali. Here we made a special connection with the people and children in this town and they will forever be in our hearts. After this trip I realized that my passion didn't lie in gymnastics anymore and I wanted to open up much of the time in my life to experience different things and focus on school. I got a job at the Little Gym where I teach young children gymnastics, and I also tried pole vaulting for the first time. I absolutely loved it! I trained throughout the fall season, and then joined the winter track and field team at my high school. At my first meet for Ramsey I cleared 9 feet and my PR is 11 ft so far, which is also the school record for pole vault. I qualified for state groups in the spring and winter. I plan to continue practicing and improving, and would love to train and compete on a team in college. Currently in school I am challenging myself with many Honors classes along with AP classes. I am a strong, hard-working student, ranked 25 in my class. I would love to continue vaulting in college, where I can be the best student athlete possible.