GCAC Boy & Girl Athletics Scholarship Awards
GCAC is proud to be offering two separate Grove City Athletics Club Boy's and Girl's Scholarships every year!
Click below for the criteria and entire application:
Click here: GCAC Scholarship Application
2021 Boy & Girl Scholarships Amount: $250 each
Application (link above) DUE: Wednesday, May 12, 2021
**email completed application to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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2021 Scholarship Winners
Karissa Dunkerley
- 2021 Grove City High School Graduate
- Grove City HS XC/T&F Experience: 4yr XC; 4yrs T&F
- Personal Records: 1600m = 5:56; 800m = 2:44
- 2019 PIAA District 10 Track & Field - 1st Place Team Member
- Will compete in XC & T&F at Carnegie Mellon University
- In her own words:
"I used to say I have a love/hate relationship with running. However, being a part of both the cross country and track and field teams at Grove City High School for the past four years has turned that hate/love into a love/love. Both sports have shaped me through providing me with a community, teaching me perseverance, and showing me passion.
From the very first moment [of attending cross country practice], I felt welcomed. Everyone was nice, making sure I knew what to do and taking time to get to know me. For the first time since I moved a year previously, I felt like I had a home in Grove City, all thanks to cross country. On that team, I made friends I never would have otherwise, friends that I became even closer with during track. Running brought us together like nothing else, through shared pain, joy, and memories. As can be seen, cross country and track have provided me with a place I truly belonged.
Cross country and track have shown me how to overcome challenges instead. My coaches have taught me that failure is an opportunity to learn and grow and that struggling will only make me a better runner in the future. My teammates have shown me how to find the good even in the bad and that when the weather is awful, it is okay because we are all in it together. We will get through it together, no matter what.
Lastly, cross country and track have cultivated passion in me. This passion was modeled for me in my coaches. They put more time and effort into these sports than anyone realizes, pouring over statistics, running scenarios, and losing sleep. If they did not love this sport, there is no way they would do that...That passion they modeled inspired me to develop my own. I started by running all summer. Then I ran a 5k outside of cross country and continued to train in the winter. I truly fell in love with sport, which caused me to recently complete my first half marathon.
Thus, the sports cross country and track have impacted my life through a place to belong, teaching me endurance, and helping me realize my love for running. Without that, I would not be who I am today."
Becca Santom
- 2021 Grove City High School Graduate
- Grove City HS XC/T&F Experience: 4yrs T&F
- Personal Records: 100H = 16.53, 300H = 48.06, 200m = 27.31, 4x100m = 51.96, 4x400m = 4:09.98
- 2019 PIAA District 10 300m hurdle Champion in 2019
- 2019 PIAA District 10 4x400m Relay Champion
- 2019 PIAA District 10 Track & Field - 1st Place Team Member
- Will compete in T&F at The University of Mount Union
- In her own words:
"Over the years, I have developed a love-hate relation for the sport of track and field. Each time I set foot on the track, I realized that I am not always going to set a PR or run my best race. However, I love to compete and as a result, track has taught me a very important life lesson; I am the only person who can determine the outcome of my race.
As a competitive individual, I strive for success every time I start a new task. When I compete in a race, my goal is to run faster than the last time...Participating in track has provided me the opportunity to showcase my intrinsic motivation to overcome obstacles-such as hurdles- but more importantly, adversity. Whenever I compete and do not make it on the medal stand, it motivates me to work a little harder in practice the next day. Track has taught me to strive towards my goals by working hard each and every day.
During these past four years on the high school track team, I have had the privilege to lead and impact the lives of my teammates. To push them to be the best sprinter, jumper, or thrower they could possibly be. As a result, I have created inseparable bonds with the amazing athletes on the team and they became more than just teammates, they were like family. It brings a smile to my face knowing that I can train with some of my very best friends that have instilled so many memories into my life. Without these individuals, I would not be the woman I am today...Running will forever be the keystone that holds my life together, and I am excited to see what the future holds for my track career."
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2020 Scholarship Winners
Eleanor Chuzie
- 2020 Grove City High School Graduate
- Grove City HS XC/T&F Experience: 3yr XC; 4yrs T&F
- Personal Records: 1600m = 5:55
- PIAA District 10 Track & Field - 1st Place Team Member
- Will compete in XC & T&F at NCAA D2 Mercyhurst University
- In her own words:
"Throughout my years at Grove City Area High School, running cross country and track has been my anchor. It has kept me healthy, accountable, motivated, and allowed me to find my best friends. It took very little time for running to become more than a sport to me, because my team quickly turned into more than just a team, they became my family. The many hours we put in after school, the early morning races, the blisters, even the sore muscles brought us together and bonded us as a team. As a novice runner, I always looked up to the older runners as well, and when it came to be my turn to lead as a senior runner, I was so excited. I wanted to make sure that the new runners fell in love with the sport and all that came with it, just like I had. I took it on as a responsibility to be the best example of a teammate possible and motivate our girls to give it their all.
I quickly learned how to not let other people’s success scare me or negatively affect my performance. Instead, I learned to use it as motivation for myself and my own goals; the goals that require you to put in your own hours, cultivate your own motivation, and keep the bigger picture in mind at all times. When you are running for a team goal it can be easier to motivate yourself, but I believe true strength is revealed when you run that extra mile when no one is looking, or you lift weights after practice for strength training without a crowd cheering you on. It’s those little things that set you apart and make you a dedicated athlete, and it’s those little things, when matched with good intention and true grit, that will truly pay off in the end. These learned skills I will use, not only in my future as a collegiate runner, but throughout my entire life...Juggling school, clubs, and running has helped me develop great time management and organizational skills.
It’s not hard for me to admit that, without running and the career I’ve been lucky to have over the past four years, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. Running has afforded me the gift of many incredible lessons.."
Tobias Jones
- 2020 Homeschool High School Graduate
- Grove City HS XC/T&F Experience: 4yr XC; 3yrs T&F
- Personal Records: 5k = 15:46; 3200m = 9:39; indoor 3k = 8:45; 1600m = 4:25
- PIAA District 10 - Cross Country 2nd place
- Will compete in XC & T&F at NCAA D1 St. Francis University
- In his own words:
"Running as a sport has been a huge part of my life ever since I first moved to Grove City when I was twelve years old. I have been a part of the Grove City teams every year since seventh grade. The sport has taught me discipline and how to deal with the various hardships and disappointments that can come from running.
But even though it can be hard at times, running will always bring me joy when I do it...and I know that it will be something that I continue throughout the rest of my life. It has been a great aid to me mentally and emotionally, helping me deal with mental struggles and it has brought me great joy to be able to be part of the team at Grove City High School that fosters such a familial culture. I have devoted a significant portion of my life to training and I have been blessed with results. Running has helped me develop a passion for fitness and sparked my interest to pursue a career in physical therapy...I have been blessed with the opportunity to run cross country and track at the division one level and I look forward to what the sport has to offer me in the future."
2019 Scholarship Winners
Abigail Biddle
- 2019 Grove City High School Graduate
- XC/T&F Experience: 1yr XC; 6yrs T&F
- Personal Records: 800m = 2:19; 400m = 1:00.35
- PIAA District 10 - 800m Champion
- Will compete in XC & T&F at Grove City College
- In her own words:
"Participating in cross country and track & field in high school has had a great impact on my life. Running has taught me so much about life that without this sport I would not have discovered. A few specific things running has taught me over the years are discipline and time management. In addition to these skills, I have formed very special relationships and have been given a getaway.
To begin, one thing I have learned from running is that you need more than being fast to be a successful runner. One thing that is very important is having discipline. Setting goals is the easy part, developing the long-term commitment to reach these goals takes discipline and hard work. I have been very fortunate to have good coaches that keep me accountable during my training. They challenge me and motivate me to want to improve. They have taught me to trust the process and to put in the work to get better. This lesson goes further than track. This quality has helped me in school. Having discipline in school has helped while learning in class and completing assignments. I believe this will also help me later in life while attending college, running and later in the workplace.
Training with your teammates for months creates very special bonds. Running is hard and its important to find a good community of people that will support you and challenge you. This sport has brought me to these people. They have taught me what it’s like to be a good teammate. Forming meaningful friendships with my teammates has also taught me to work for others not just myself. In a challenging race or workout, it is easy to give up on yourself but knowing how I perform impacts that team motivates me to work harder. This sport has taught me how to work with others towards a common goal. In addition to forming relationships with my teammates it has also brought me closer to my family. I have two brothers and a sister, and we often go on runs together. It gives us all something to connect over. My dad helped to build my passion for running as a child and we share this passion still. My favorite part of running is sharing it with my family.
I have played many different sports but running has always been my favorite and has stuck out to me. I love to run. It helps me to escape everyday stresses like school and just enjoy the moment. Running helps you to see personal growth and to challenge yourself which I love. Being involved in running at the high school has also helped me to form healthy habits. Our team was taught it is important to get enough rest and to eat a balanced diet to perform well. Since running is a year-round sport, I’ve been able to turn these habits into a lifestyle which has helped me to be a healthy and active person."
Nick Murawski
- 2019 Grove City High School Graduate
- XC/T&F Experience: 4yrs T&F
- Personal Records: 400m = 49.92; 400m = 22.4
- PIAA District 10 - 400m Champion (6th at States)
- Will compete in T&F at Allegheny College
- In his own words:
"Track was something all of my friends did throughout middle school but I played baseball. After eighth grade I decided I didn’t like baseball anymore and my friends were trying to convince me to run track. I decided to give it a shot since I considered myself pretty fast.
Shortly after my freshman season began, I fell in love with the sport and from there on has been a huge part of my life. Every year I look forward to track season because to me it is one of the most enjoyable things to do. It’s something that keeps me in great shape and allows me to socialize with some amazing people, all while challenging myself to become as fast as possible. Track has also been a stress reliever for me. After a long day of school, even though going to practice may seem very dreadful, track practice was great. It gave me the opportunity to block out everything that happened during school and that happened that day. I could decompress and just focus on my running.
Without track I would be a totally different person. I wouldn’t have met my best friends and plenty of other great people. I also wouldn’t have made some of the amazing memories that I will keep forever. Track has most definitely made me a much better person and provided me with so many different things that no other sport or activity could."
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Future GCAC Scholarship Winners????
