SHE'S AN OVERCOMER: Doniphan’s Gracen Kirby stands tall despite obstacles during her career

Life is full of adversity and struggles, but it takes a tough person to dig deep and face any obstacles head-on.

Such is the story of athlete Gracen Kirby and her final season at Doniphan High School.

Kirby has endured many setbacks and injuries, but she hasn’t allow them to keep her from competing with her teammates.

As a member of the Doniphan Donettes softball and basketball teams, Kirby brought home two district championships and earned all-state honors in softball.

But despite the success, getting to this point has been an uphill battle for Kirby.

Heading into her freshman year, Kirby suffered nerve and muscle injuries while pitching, which caused permanent partial numbness in her right hand. This setback caused her to be sidelined from softball and basketball for her freshman and junior seasons.

To the average student, sustaining an injury this severe would cause them to step away for good, but Kirby saw the opportunity to keep fighting. She said her competitive nature comes from her family, and she loves to compete because of them.

“It was really tough at the time because I had made pitching my entire life,” Kirby said. “Also, I have a very big sports family, and it was how we all bonded, so it was definitely rough. It’s not fun having to sit on the sidelines and watch everybody else get to do what you love, but it taught me how to be more mentally tough.

“It taught me not to take one day for granted because you never know when the day of playing sports will be stripped away, and I don’t think a lot of people would get to understand that at my age.”

During the tough times, Kirby turned to God and relied heavily on the support of her family and therapist, who worked nonstop to get her back to competing for her senior season.

While lingering from the success of softball, Kirby sustained another hiccup at the beginning of the basketball season with minor heart issues, which caused a heart procedure in the middle of the season. After being cleared to go, Kirby was back to playing yet again.

At the sight of any adversity, Kirby could’ve walked away, but her attitude to not give up was instilled at a young age. She learned that quitting would never be an option after watching both parents battle cancer.

Kirby mentioned that her dad needed to relocate to Houston for treatment, and though it was tough, they remained close, and their bond grew stronger.

“I look back at all the hard times that I’ve been through, and if I can get through those, I can get through anything,” Kirby said. “God has blessed us with a miracle because my dad is still here. I know everything’s in God’s control, and watching them go through that has always stuck with me, so I am forever grateful that I get another day to be healthy and play sports.”

Through the ups and downs, Kirby said she couldn’t have asked for a better senior season with the Donettes.

“I could not be more thankful for my last season,” she said. “I’ve had amazing coaches and teammates. We’ve won every tournament that we’ve been in besides obviously the state tournament, and we have had an absolute blast this season.”

“Not only were we successful on the court, but we also just had so much fun behind the scenes. It was with a great group of girls, and I really cannot ask for a better senior year.”

One person that noticed the dedication Kirby put in to be back with her teammates was head basketball coach Adam Epps.

“We were very blessed to have her and have her back healthy,” Epps said. The two district championships we won (in 2020 and 2022) she was on the sidelines, so this year was really special for me because I got to watch her have a district championship with her fingerprints all over it. That was a really special moment.

“I believe not many players would have pushed through the way she did with all the obstacles. When thinking of that resilient mentality, I think of Kirby. I’m just really proud of her. It speaks volumes about how she was raised in her faith because it groomed her to be the best athlete, but an even better person.

As Kirby moves on, she will remember the lessons she learned from Epps and how they will better prepare her for what’s to come.

“He definitely doesn’t take it easy on us, but he has respect for us, and we respect him,” Kirby said. “He’s always guiding and pushing us to be the best we possibly can be. He taught us how to lead and stay motivated through tough times, and I’m forever grateful for that.”

With her time at Doniphan coming to an end, Kirby plans to attend Southeast Missouri State University for a degree in criminology, then plans on transferring to the University of Mississippi for law school.