Athlete of the Week: Aragon’s Megan Grant

Team USA returned home Monday after playing in two primetime tournaments, capturing gold medals at the Pan American Games in Barranquilla, Colombia, and most recently the Women’s Softball World Cup in Lima, Peru. And while Grant didn’t receive much playing time in the Pan Am Games, that changed in a hurry at the World Cup.

“It was always constant competing … and that’s something I loved throughout these two weeks was just competing for a spot in the lineup,” Grant said.

In addition to her two gold medals, Grant was one of five Team USA players named to the All-World U-18 Softball Team after her breakout performance in Peru. Starting seven of the eight games for a Team USA squad that posted an 8-0 record in the tournament, the left-handed hitting slugger batted .438 (7 for 16) with three doubles, a triple and five RBIs.

Well, add Daily Journal Athlete of the Week honors to her resume, as not only did Grant achieve All-World status. She flew the redeye home Sunday night and plans to be back in the school Tuesday, as well as reporting for duty with the Aragon girls’ basketball team Tuesday afternoon.

Grant last attended classes Nov. 22 before leaving to join Team USA.

“I’m a bit behind but it’s OK, I’ll catch up,” Grant said.

It doesn’t hurt Grant is riding a wave of emotions. Team USA captured the gold medal Sunday in a dramatic 1-0 walk-off win over Chinese Taipei, with tournament MVP Valerie Cagle delivering an RBI single to score Violet Zavodnik.

“We ran to the girl who hit it and were just jumping up and down,” Grant said. “It was so fun.”

Grant hit safely in her first five games of the tournament. And while she didn’t have her West Bay Warriors coach Kelly McDonald there with her, McDonald still made her presence felt. Grant said she communicated with McDonald every day from Peru. And when she asked her coach for hitting advice, McDonald already had film breakdowns ready to go to review each at-bat.

This proved invaluable. Grant said she felt like herself at the plate, but in reviewing film, McDonald pointed out how tense she was. It stands to reason, as Grant was playing in the most meaningful games of her softball career.

“It was way more meaningful, the emotions,” Grant said. “Everything was so much deeper than just a normal game.”

So, with the help of McDonald, Grant developed a mantra to take with her when she stepped onto the diamond.

“The more calm I am, the more better I’ll be,” Grant said.

Competing for playing time is not something Grant ever experienced in the softball world before. That stands to reason, as the UCLA commit is a career .544 hitter with 22 home runs in three varsity seasons at Aragon.

While Grant plays shortstop for the Lady Dons, she converted to the outfield with Team USA. But even with that, she saw limited time in the field. Her All-World position was designated player, the softball equivalent of designated hitter.

“It was like a different aspect of level of softball for me, something I’ve bever experienced before,” Grant said. “And it brings out a different component in me to like never let up. Not that I ever did before, but now it’s like up a notch.”

Grant offered rave reviews about Team USA shortstop Kinsey Fiedler, a freshman at University of Washington who was the No. 1 softball recruit in the nation from the Class of 2021.

“She’s a great player, honestly,” Grant said. “Just everything she brings to the game, her fire, is something I’ve never seen before — in like the greatest way possible.”

With the Class of 2022 at Aragon, Grant is in the midst of an extraordinary legacy in athletics, and despite a full softball scholarship to UCLA in hand, she is intent on finishing out her senior year as a three-sport athlete.

“I think personally you can’t just rely on one thing to just get you through life,” Grant said. “Softball, I know it’s my rock and I know that is the thing I will be doing for a long time, but I have to have outlets. … Basketball, I love it. Volleyball is just so fun, it’s just the right fit for me … and I’m just having fun during the whole process.”