Athlete Profile
Hometown
Maple Valley, Wash. |
High
School
Tahoma |
Year
Senior |
Major
International Business |
Erik Gracey tied a Pacific
Lutheran single-game record with four assists against George
Fox on Sunday, Oct. 14. He also scored a goal in that game after
scoring for the Lutes in a 1-1 tie with Puget Sound, and he
earned Northwest Conference Player of the Week honors. Gracey
has had a strong senior year with four goals and seven assists.
Describe
your family. How have they helped you in your athletic career?
My mom and dad have always been very supportive of my soccer career.
From orange slices when I was a youth to rain-soaked games at
PLU, they have usually been at my games when had the opportunity.
My mom has helped me practice as well. She used to give me volleys
and play keeper while I took shots at her. My mom has been a great
help to me.
Describe any hardships or
extenuation circumstances that you have faced to get to where
you are today.
I have had a lot of injuries. I have injured my knees a few times,
broken a leg, a wrist, and an ankle. I have had numerous muscles
strains, ankle sprains, and even five surgeries.
What made you decide to come
to PLU?
I wanted to come to PLU because my grandmother went to PLU and
I heard about the excellent reputation of the school. I also wanted
to play soccer, of course, and I liked (head coach) John Yorke
from my experiences in high school and club soccer.
Have you studied abroad?
If so, describe your experiences?
Yes. I went to Norway for nine months and it was fantastic. I
learned a lot about myself and a lot about Norway.
What has been your favorite
class at PLU?
Not Chemistry
Have you had any trouble
balancing athletics with academics?
Yeah. It does get really hard when you have a full load and devote
a lot of time to the sport. I spend 3.5 hours a day on soccer
during the week and every other weekend we go on road trips. That
is a lot of time. It is also hard to concentrate on school work;
sometimes all I can think about is soccer.
What are you plans after
college?
I want to be a manager specializing in international business.
When your athletic career
is all said and done, what is it that you would want people to
say about you?
Erik was a really hard working guy.
Describe your hometown and
what you miss about it the most.
Maple Valley is suburbia mixed in between country areas like Ravensdale,
Hobart, Kent, and Covington. There is a good mix of interesting
people in Maple Valley. You got wanna-be gangsters and wanna-be
rednecks at the same school, it's fun. I miss skipping class to
go fishing.
What's your favorite spot
on campus?
Our soccer pitch.
What is your favorite restaurant
in Tacoma?
East-West Café.
What music is playing in
your ipod right now?
Hip Hop mixes. My two favorite songs right now are “Still
Dreaming” by Nas ft. Kanye West and “Kiss Kiss”
by Chris Brown and T-Pain.