Braceros’s dedication, hard work sends him to Erskine
March 10, 2017
Over the course of his high school career, senior Kevin Braceros has put forward immense energy, time and effort into his role as Elk Grove’s outside hitter. It is this dedication to volleyball that positively influenced and shaped his post- secondary education plans.
In the fall, Braceros will study chemistry at Erskine College where he will play against Division I schools.
With these big aspirations on the horizon, Braceros reflected on significant aspects of high school volleyball. He shared that the most influential advice he implements into his game strategy is to always ‘control the controllable.’ This is crucial to the team’s success because they will “play amazing teams and bad teams, what matters is that we control the ball when it’s on our side of the court. We can control the things on our side such as passes, hits, serves, to eliminate errors.
Braceros is proud to credit his achievements to his family’s unconditional support. In addition, he has absorbed tips from his mom, who played college volleyball, and his older siblings, whose games he always attended. Further inspirations come from the libero for France’s National Team, Jenia Grebennikov, whose hustle, energy and ability to throw his body at the ball are “insane.”
Looking forward, Braceros anticipates the competition and schoolwork to intensify. He plans on prioritizing time management and communication, stating, “With all the training, practices, and traveling involved, communication with professors and coaches will be huge.”
He ultimately committed to Erskine due to the campus giving him a sense of “home away from home.”
The sacrifices have been worth the chance for Braceros to continue following his childhood dream, admitting, “Whenever a kid plays a sport that they love they have that image of playing in college or playing professional.”
