GRACE CLOUD of Chatham high school is has become a serious prospect in the last 6 months and it’s due to one thing, a little thing called Sacrifice. To often these days kids want so must and do so little. They want the attention, the playing time , the glory and most of all the scholarship. They want all this but are not willing to pay the price. Not willing to do the traveling, not willing to show up consistently and daily. No, there are excuses like the coach doesn’t even notice me, I’m in the worst groups, I can’t get a ride, the gym has to many clicks. I have to attend a family gathering. All wonderful excuses but not sacrifices. GRACE CLOUD doses’t do excuses, because she is too busy trying to make big things happen in her life these days.
I often say the only way to catch folks attention after you been labeled or when coaches form an opinion of you, is to be dynamic. I wrote about Grace Cloud last summer because she was starting to look like she was ready to become a dynamic player. I watched her on tape and saw that her game was going next level. But then something else started happening. Grace Cloud starting showing up at hoop group. Taking that hour plus ride to train with the killers. Then she started attending camp in the summer making the ride 5 days a week for multiple weeks in the summer. That’s because Grace Cloud was hungry and desperate to prove she belongs. To prove she can play with the best. To prove she could be an impact player at CHATHAM HIGH SCHOOL. To prove she belongs in a D1 uniform one day. These days that’s exactly what she is doing. You see there is levels to a kids commitment and desire. While other talk GRACE CLOUD goes to work.
GRACE CLOUD, had a wonderful summer. She was electric at times. She’ll be the first to tell you she didn’t play against elite competition every weekend. But that didn’t matter because she took full advantage of the time she had in the court game in and game out. She addressed her weaknesses and enhanced her strengths. She had some rock star type performances. That’s because Grace Cloud is going to be a coaches D1 dream recruit one day. Grace Cloud has next level positional size . The 6+ guard is long for days. Her instincts and reflexes are a thing of beauty. She is going to be an elite defender at the next level. But she also is an outstanding rebounder from the guard position. She can rip the ball off the rim and start the break. She has willed herself into a reliable shooter, while still being a rim attacker. She is going to shoot a boat load of free throws this season. Grace Cloud is a matchup problem because she has elevated her game. She has put that work in. These days she is very confident and more importantly wants more. Being satisfied is not an option.
This fall GRACE CLOUD has been at NBS cooking. She has been matched up with kids off to D1 or holding D1 offers. She has not taken a back seat to none of them. She smiles and just competes, that because her competitive nature has grown. That’s because now she knows she can play against the best of the best and have no doubts. Grace, will play for one of the best coaches in the state in Joe GABA. She will play for one of the 3 or 4 best public schools in the state. She will play on a top 10 team this year. The key word is “PLAY”. You see Grace Cloud has the willed herself to this point. Last summer I was impressed and knew Grace was could be planning to do something special. This fall she is finishing off the deal. She has taken care of business.she has taken no short cuts or left no stone unturned. She has fulfilled her promise. She is not a player with potential. She is a player that has fulfilled her potential. GRACE CLOUD is proof if you do the work, the game will come.
So I have a message to D1 college coaches. Go read my D1 early Bird list. I’m pretty good at this D1 projection stuff. No let me brag for a second, I’m the best in the business. That’s because I see them all in real D1 environments Grace Cloud is just a junior and she seems to get better every day. One day she is going to be a two way dangerous player. That’s because her improvement curve has been stunning to say the least. The recruiting curve as you know is always the measuring stick. GRACE CLOUD is going to wear a D1 uniform one day. Soon you’re going to know what I know about her…
WHEN HARD WORK MEETS TALENT… A GREAT ATTITUDE TOWARDS COACHING… SOMEONE WHO IS EXCUSE FREE…. GREAT THINGS HAPPEN.
Right now greatest and GRACE CLOUD are spending a lot of time together!
NEXT WEEK… STILL AVAILABLE