Q&A With Beach Volleyball Student-Athlete Grace Seits: Diggin’ Louisiana
Q: What is it like being the youngest of five siblings?
A: It’s been amazing. I’ve always said that I wanted a younger sibling, but having all older has shaped me into who I am today. They became my best friends and showed me how to live life.
Q: With your sister playing college volleyball, what kind of influence did she have on you?
A: She is the main reason I got started with volleyball. I started out playing soccer and basketball because that’s what my brothers did. My sister started playing her junior year of high school when I was in sixth grade, so that’s when I started. I got to look up to her, watch her and learn from her. My brother played basketball collegiately too, so having them to take after was basically the reason I got to where I am.
Q: Being from California, was Beach something you always knew you would end up doing, or always wanted to do?
A: It was never on my radar, and I was about to commit to play indoor at the University of San Diego. I was a week away from doing it, but one of my friends asked me to play in a beach tournament with her. I ended up loving it. I was really bad at first because getting used to the sand is so hard. I had a coach tell me I had a lot of potential, and beach is much more like my type of vibe. It’s a lot more relaxed, while indoor is so intense all the time. Coaches can’t yell at us after every point; they can only coach you during time outs. So, I decided I wasn’t going to play indoor anymore in my junior year of high school, and started playing beach in the middle of my indoor club season. I then committed to LSU. I didn’t want to quit on my indoor team, so I started playing club beach in my senior year of high school, while continuing to play indoor for my high school team.
Q: Tell us the coolest thing about Ramona, California.
A: How small it is. It sounds weird, but it’s one of those towns where everybody knows everybody. Whenever I go home, I can’t go anywhere without seeing somebody I know. I can drive through the whole town in 15 minutes. I didn’t like it in high school, but now I love it because I can see people I haven’t seen in a while. I love Ramona; it’s a very supportive town that made me into who I am.
Q: In your eyes, what was the weirdest or most different thing about Louisiana when you first came here?
A: The weather. It hit me pretty hard my freshman year. There is no humidity in San Diego; 75 degrees feels like 75 degrees. Here, it feels like 95. I had to sit out of one of our practices because I was so dehydrated. I have to readjust to the weather every time I go home and come back.
Q: What was your high school experience like, both inside and outside of sports?
A: It was interesting, coming from a small town. It wasn’t super common to go to college to play sports. Having that opportunity to represent Ramona was super fun. Everybody was so supportive, making posters when I committed and stuff like that. They did it for my brother too; it was awesome how they treated us. I have made incredible friends that I know will be lifelong no matter where we are. I could see myself going back there.
Q: Tell us about your recruiting process and how you decided to come to LSU.
A: I looked at a good amount of other schools, and I was pretty set on staying in California and going to Stanford or UCLA. My friend who committed here told me I had to go on a visit and see LSU. I was like, ‘I’m never going to live in Louisiana. Why would I live in Louisiana when I could live in California?’ But, my coach told me the same thing, so I went on a visit and loved it. The coaches made a huge impact, and it was clear to me that they didn’t just want me for my athletic ability. They wanted me as a person, and I really loved how they brought faith into it. When I got home, I was so confused and didn’t know what to do. After thinking about it, I knew LSU was where I was supposed to be.
Q: What is your favorite thing about playing beach?
A: Outside of meeting the people that I’ve met, who are like family to me now, I would say the relaxed environment. I feel joy when I’m playing, and free to be who I am. I can be loud, have fun and still do that at a program that is top five in the nation. I feel comfortable while playing my sport, and not too overwhelmed or intense, even though we still want to win.
Q: What is your least favorite thing about playing beach?
A: On the days when it is 90% humidity and I can barely breathe when I’m running around in the sand. It makes me question why I play an outdoor sport.
Q: Can you describe what being a Tiger means to you, and what the impact of playing for LSU feels like for you?
A: LSU is such a well-known sports school in Louisiana and the country. It makes you realize that you have a platform to make a difference, and can have a huge impact on other people. I want to share about my faith, and show others that we are not just athletes. We are not just LSU Tigers because we’re athletic, tall, what have you. We can show what we can do in our sport, but show who we are while we’re doing it.
Q: You and the beach team are both heavily involved with Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). How did you get involved, and what made you want to be a leader?
A: My freshman year, our coaches told us about FCA and I had some teammates that had gone. I had never heard of it until I got to college, and I was super excited about the social opportunity to meet people outside of my sport. I have made lifelong friends through it, and it has really impacted me. Andy Stroup, the leader of FCA, is such a mentor in my life. COVID made us do Zoom FCA, and it made it so real with how it can be taken away. We got really close over the virtual meetings because there were only 10 of us, and I felt motived to be a leader when I came back. I was really nervous about it, but I know God, my coaches, my teammates and Andy have my back. Being around people who are likeminded in faith and in sport has been invaluable to me. We all fall back on Jesus to know that we are totally okay through Him, and that has been so easy to learn and carry out through FCA.
Q: How is it being coached by Russell and Cati?
A: I literally think it is something you could not find anywhere else. They balance each other out perfectly. Russell is the most steady, calm person you will ever meet. He never lets his emotions get the best of him. He tells you what you need to do and tells you how it is, but shows how much he cares about us at the same time. He makes sure we know that, and also shows us who He is through Jesus Christ. He honestly feels like a father figure. He gains that respect instantly by his actions and his words. Cati is your coach, but your sister at the same time. You can go to her for anything, and she will tell you what you need to hear. She’s a big goofball like the rest of us, so we can always laugh and be joyful. We are never be scared to be ourselves with either of them. We are so thankful to have them as our coaches.
Q: If you were stranded on an island with one of your teammates, who would you want it to be and why?
A: I would have to go with Lara Boos. She has been my roommate for three years, and we are kind of the same person, but also very different. We spend almost every second together, and never get tired of each other. We have never gotten in a fight. I have no doubt we would make the best of it, and I know we would survive together. She has definitely become my sister, and it would be really hard at LSU without her.
Q: What are your goals for the rest of your collegiate career?
A: The big goal that our team has is winning our conference championship and winning a national championship. I think we have the talent and the mindset this year. We are more confident than we have been in the past. We lost a lot of starters, and their impact was huge, but we gained a lot of talent as well. I’m excited to see where it goes, and I have so much confidence in this team. As long as we love each other and continue to support each other, we will be happy even if we don’t win a national championship.
Q: What do you hope to pursue after college, whether it be athletic related or not?
A: For volleyball, I would love to play for the AVP, the professional league for beach volleyball. I would move back to California, start training, and see where that goes. I also want to be an occupational therapist for children with disabilities. I would love to work at a school, and coach the high school volleyball team there. My sister is also a speech pathologist, so we kind of joke, but not joke, about starting our own practice. I have been around special needs kids since I was in sixth grade, and they really help me realize how much we have. I love being there for them.
Q: What do you hope Tiger Nation remembers you for?
A: I would want them to know that I did this with faith. I love this sport, and I would choose beach over any sport. But, the only reason I can do this is because of Jesus. I want to have an attitude like Jesus, exuding joy and love. I don’t do it all the time, but I strive to. I want to be a platform to show what God can do for students and athletes in general.
Q: What is your favorite of the following:
a. Food: Breakfast food. Pancakes or Waffles
b. Movie: Hot Rod or Harry Potter
c. TV Show: The Office, New Girl or One Tree Hill
d. Sport to Watch: Basketball
e. Place to Visit: Yosemite. I’ve been there twice with my family, so it has some nostalgia there. But, it’s also absolutely gorgeous.
f. Thing to Do outside of Sport: Play board games or card games with my family. Every night when I’m home, we play some sort of game.
