Charlie Obaugh RV & Outdoor Center Student Athlete of the Week: Graycee McClure

STUARTS DRAFT, Va. (WHSV) - Graycee McClure is a three-sport athlete at Ridgeview Christian School who is passionate about her faith and helping others.

“Many of my teammates look up to me because I want them to have the same success as I have so that just makes me want to be there for them and help them to grow not only in the sport and in school but also in their faith in Christ,” said McClure, a senior at Ridgeview.

McClure has played basketball, softball, and volleyball during her four years at Ridgeview. On the basketball court, she has been the team’s point guard and leader both with her play and how she conducts herself.

“She has been a leader since ninth grade and really blossomed,” said Ridgeview Girl’s Basketball Head Coach Lonnie Elijah. “Just bringing the team together, bad times, good times, always just knows how to get everybody involved on the court.”

McClure has been playing basketball since she was a young girl and has always enjoyed the sport.

“Basketball has just always been my favorite sport I’ve learned from a very young age from my brother who taught me and he just made that sport grow in me. It’s just a very competitive sport but also just a mind game sometimes,” she said. “I enjoy playing with the team and just having a season with other people, to build the friendships and memories I have has been really cool.”

Elijah said that McClure has put in a lot of work to improve her game over the years and it has paid off. He said she has improved consistently and went from averaging around 10 points per game to 15 points per game as a senior.

“Her effort and the work that she has put in during practice, before practice, after practice, just her willingness to get better on and off the court,” he said. “Her shooting has come a long way from ninth grade and I think just watching her go 100 percent and give 100 percent on the court and make no excuses. So that’s what a coach really loves to see.”

Whether in games or at practice McClure’s leadership and connection with her teammates were key to Ridgeview’s success.

“In basketball, it’s not just about the physical, it’s also mental. When I see a teammate down I know it will affect their game and I want them to put it all into the game like I do so I know it’s very important to build others up,” she said.

In the classroom, McClure is an honor student with a 4.0 GPA and will attend Liberty University in the fall.

“She keeps us on our toes, she excels above and beyond. She’s just a wonderful student, we have to look different things up just so we’re prepared to teach Graycee. But she’s wonderful, very passionate, and full of integrity,” said Melissa Glover, an English and History teacher at Ridgeview.

Glover said that McClure is a hard worker in school and shows a lot of the same leadership skills that she does on the basketball court.

“She steps up to help where there is a need and she also seeks to ask a lot of questions if she doesn’t understand. Then she takes that and helps other students in turn,” she said. “She’s just naturally a high achiever, a natural leader, she just takes that passion and works hard and excels.”

Lonnie Elijah said that McClure represents what Ridgeview hopes to see from its student-athletes.

“As we say ‘love, serve, and lead’ and she fulfills all of those, the big three here at Ridgeview. She always puts Christ first and that’s the most important thing here at Ridgeview is we don’t just play the game of basketball, we do it for one reason,” he said.

McClure is always looking to help those in need.

“I always see the need, I’m very observant and I always want to help others if I can. I want to see others and set an example of helping others just like Jesus did,” she said.

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