By TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The ability to put aside one's own personal goals and agenda and concentrate on doing whatever it takes to accomplish what the team has set out to accomplish is a true sign of a leader.
Tennessee Tech women's basketball junior Grace Pelphrey does so each and every day with the kind of mentality that coaches dream about.
"Grace epitomizes everything you would want in a student-athlete, teammate, and leader," head coach Kim Rosamond said. "Her servant's heart stands out every day with our team, and her unique gift of empathy, kindness and unselfishness makes our team and locker room better. Putting others first comes so natural for Grace, and she consistently leaves everything she touches better than how she found it. Grace not only leads with her words but with her positive example on and off the court. Her character is top-notch, and she has been such a blessing to our team in so many ways. Grace is not only loved on our team, but she is also respected by all of her teammates because of the way she handles herself on a daily basis."
Assistant coach Allison Clark added, "Grace shows up every day with a positive attitude and willingness to do whatever she can to help our team. She has learned multiple positions and continues to improve each day. She is constantly motivating and lifting up her teammates."
Pelphrey, an addition to the team last season by way of Alabama, saw the floor in five contests during the 2019-20 campaign and has played in two of this season's tilts. But it's the work she produces behind the scenes, out of the limelight, that truly displays her importance to the Golden Eagle program.
"One of our core values is 'Team First,'" Clark said. "Grace always puts the team first and her teammates know they can always count on her."
Perhaps her willingness to put the team first and be there has never been more important than in a 2020-21 season unlike any before it. With the constant challenges brought on by COVID-19 and social injustice, Pelphrey has been there for teammates every step of the way. The Tech squad has seen more than a handful of contests cancelled and rescheduled during the challenging slate, but the ever-changing landscape has not changed the guard's approach to what she brings to the table.
"Grace exemplifies everything we want our team's DNA to be made up from," Clark explained. "Her willingness to go above and beyond, constantly step outside her comfort zone and take on whatever role we ask of her from day-to-day is second to none. The work ethic and positive attitude to brings to the floor and locker room each day are contagious and a vital part of what makes up our team."
It is for these qualities and dedication that Pelphrey is the recipient of the 2020 December Unsung Leader Award.
The Unsung Leader Award is selected from student-athletes, who have been nominated by their coaching staff, for exemplifying outstanding leadership qualities during the past month. The leadership can be shown on the field, in the weight room, at practice, in the classroom, in study hall, on campus, in the community or for a student club or organization.
The award honors a varsity student-athlete who has made a positive impact on their team and the Tennessee Tech community as a whole, through his or her dedication to demonstrating leadership traits, such as:
- Keep learning, growing and improving
- Follow through with excellence
- Accomplish more than expected
- Inspire and motivate others
Photo by Thomas Corhern
