SMCC Volleyball's Gracie Henderson Discovers Passion for Golf

PHOENIX --- 

At the end of the 20th century, Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders became legendary for their ability to play professional baseball and football at the same time. Shuttling back and forth between their respective franchises and sports, the two showed that years of hard work and dedication to a craft could pay off in physical feats that most people couldn't imagine.

Now imagine if instead of playing two sports they spent their entire life playing, they opted for something they had no experience with. Like Bo taking up ice skating or Deion dabbling in skateboarding. They would likely have experienced some growing pains, enduring the difficulties nearly anyone experiences when taking on a new hobby.

South Mountain Community College has a dual-sport student-athlete like Bo and Deion. In fact, she is a tri-sport athlete. A volleyball player by trade, Gracie Henderson took a shot at a different sport, one she had never played in her life: golf. A sport that can be cruel to even the saltiest and hardened professional, golf presented Henderson with a new series of challenges that ultimately led to successes she'll build off of for the rest of her life.

Originally from Tuba City, AZ, Henderson came to SMCC to play volleyball in the fall of 2020. A setter by trade, she worked as a libero before high school but made the position change and has not looked back.

"I like being able to run different plays, especially the complex ones. My personal favorite is giving our hitters a one or no blockers on their attacks," Henderson said.

With the 2020-21 women's volleyball season canceled due to the pandemic, Henderson heard about an opportunity with the SMCC women's golf team. She had never played the sport but also knew what it was like not to have a season.

"The golf team lost a few players due to Covid-19 and needed one more to compete as a team. I was open to trying and learning new things, and Coach Carroll understood that," Henderson said.

She got about two weeks of practice before her first intercollegiate tournament and admittedly struggled with staying calm and not getting frustrated quickly. She persevered and learned a lot about herself and her character.

"Golf is a long game and a game of inches," she said. "I wanted to be perfect and do my best, but sometimes golf had a different story in mind. Playing taught me a lot about being calm and having fun. I had some tougher rounds but knew I had to keep going and not quit."

Henderson points to her work with SMCC head coach Chelsea Carroll in those early tournaments and practices as a big reason she has grown to love the game.

"Coach Carroll is a great mentor," Henderson said. "She is always positive and patient and has been there to work with me. She is a great person to talk with about things both on and off the course."

In her third year as the Cougars' head coach, Carroll learned a lot about Henderson's character and commitment from her first day at practice.

"Gracie came out to that first day of practice, and it was pouring rain. There was no lightning, so we kept playing, and she pushed through because she wanted the opportunity to learn the game and be part of a team," Carroll said. "When others might have given up, she kept going on, and it is a testament to her perseverance. Whatever obstacle is in her way, she is determined to overcome it."

There were challenging moments during the season, but Henderson credits the support of her coach and teammates for overcoming those moments.

At a tournament in Buckeye, Henderson found herself in a bunker. The sand trap can be a menace to the heartiest of professionals, and it took a toll on Henderson's score.

"It was the first time my mom had come to watch me play, and it probably took seven shots for me to get out. When I did, I overshot the green and went into another bunker," Henderson said. "I remember talking to one of the other team's coaches, and he told me that I couldn't let one play determine my round. It was a wake-up call, and after that, I stopped being so hard on myself. At the end of the year, we played at Wildfire Golf Course, and it has a lot of bunkers. I played confident and loose, and it was the best I shot all season."

The improvement was evident to Carroll.

"One area that I saw the most improvement from was in her driving distance off the tee. It can be nerve-wracking to tee off with the crowd and pressure," Carroll said. "As the season progressed, she kept getting better to the point that other teams and coaches were complimenting her. Her scores came down, and she always did better in her second round."

For the upcoming season, Henderson wants to eliminate the simple errors.

"Once volleyball ends, I want to get a lot of training for the golf season. I feel like I am a fast learner, and I wouldn't have put myself into college events if I couldn't push through," Henderson said. "I want to avoid hitting the ball out of bounds and having to take a drop. Those strokes add up, and I want to be able to play a round with a lot of confidence."

"We will have a bigger team this year, and I am excited for Gracie to share her experiences with all the new players in their first spring of NJCAA competition," Carroll said. "As a multi-sport athlete, Gracie has a crazy schedule, and her teammates admire how she manages that." 

She gelled instantly with her teammates, and the team's welcoming environment helped her develop as a player. That close nature also led to some shenanigans. The team also found time for lighter moments and pulled off an epic prank on their head coach on April Fool's Day.

"Gracie pretended to quit the team because of some drama, and I was a mess for a few hours," Carroll admitted. "We had just talked, and I kept getting these texts about drama within the team. I was a little freaked out, but they got me good. It was hilarious."

In addition to all that, Henderson also played in SMCC's inaugural beach volleyball season in the 2021 spring. She finished 1-2 overall, teaming with Lizzie Hall to post a three-set victory on the No. 4 court against Trinidad State JC on April 30.

"We were in an less-than-ideal situation with the cancelation of last fall and spring," said SMCC women's volleyball head coach Melissa Joseph. "We would usually do a lot of training in the spring, working on technique and position development. However, beach volleyball translates well into the indoor game. It gave Gracie a new perspective about on-court awareness and raised her court IQ. Her speed of play and decision-making has increased since our beach season. Coach Mooney runs our setters, and we've seen her connecting more with our hitters and consistently delivering for the offense both verbally and physically."

That confidence has carried over to the volleyball's 2021 fall season. Henderson wants to be more outspoken and communicative with her teammates. This fall, the team has played four official matches, and Henderson is happy to be back on the court.

"It feels pretty good, and it has been a while since I was in a competitive game getting live play touches," Henderson said. "We enjoyed our time at the tournament in New Mexico in August. We want to win and be on the same page for every match, bringing a consistent intensity to how we play."

She enjoys her time working with Coach Joseph and is grateful for the opportunity to represent the Cougars.

"There is anything I wouldn't do for Coach Joseph. She has taught me to be more competitive, and I have learned a lot from her," Henderson said. "My volleyball skill and IQ have grown a lot since I first got here, and Coach's knowledge and competitive drive is another level and inspiring. Working with her has been a game-changer."

"Since she showed up on campus, Gracie has been dedicated to her athletics and academics. She leads by example and is a dedicated teammate that is coachable," Joseph said. "She is a quiet but fierce leader who has a calming presence on the court. I am a big advocate for dual-sport athletes, and I think Gracie's work on the golf course has carried over to volleyball. The coordination skills and the mental toughness you have to have in golf help in volleyball, and the endurance of playing volleyball aid her on the course. Being a multi-sport athlete is a big task to take on, but she has handled it seamlessly."

In the team's four matches at the season-opening NMMI Bronco Classic, Henderson totaled 45 assists and 17 digs. She dished out a season-high 19 assists against Vernon College and added 17 helpers against Tyler Junior College. She also posted a season-high six digs in the win over Vernon College.

"I would love to see her finish among the top 10 setters in the ACCAC," Joseph said. "We have a competitive league with some talented setters, and making the top 10 is a good goal for her to reach and achieve."

Henderson is unsure what she'll do after school, but she will receive her Associate's Degree in Science and plans to do something involving STEM. She is effusive about her time at SMCC.

"I have become a better person since I first came to SMCC. My coaches have not just taught me about volleyball and golf, but about life skills and being an adult," Henderson admitted. "I've always been the youngest, and independence wasn't always my thing. But talking and listening to them has taught me a lot about growing as a young woman and becoming more independent. I am more mature than when I first got here, and playing golf and volleyball improved me not just as an athlete, but overall as a person."