Grace and Hope have always done things together. That's what twins do right?
One of the loves that they share is playing the game of softball together for Fort Bend Christian Academy. The sisters also have to deal with being teenagers with Crohn's Disease, which they have to get treatment for every eight weeks, and Hope also has diabetes, which she has to monitor during the game.
VYPE talked with the sisters at the Fort Bend Christian spring media day. Learn more about the Payton duo and how much fun they have playing together.
Frassati is coming off an impressive season, where they went 11-9 and reached the Regional Finals under first-year coach Trina Searcy.
In the five seasons that Frassati Catholic has played volleyball, only once (2018) have they missed the postseason.
With three starters back from the 2020 squad, the Falcons look to get back again.
The leader in the locker room will be Alexis Bodunrin, who led the team with 318 kills and 231 digs a year ago. She was named first-team, all-district.
Other key returners include Natalia Kacprzak (59 kills, 34 digs, 23 blocks) and Katherine Liepman (53 kills, 47 digs).
Keys to success for Searcy's group in 2021 include "great defense, serve-receive, communication, trusting teammates and being physically ready to hit the gym floor on day one".
The Falcons could claw their way to a deep playoff run again in 2021.
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"My mom and I are really competitive with board games. That's our thing," Lily Psencik laughed. "Qwirkle… we are really competitive with that one."
But who is the best athlete in the house? "I'd say, me," she said.
"My mom played volleyball and my dad was good at football and baseball. My brother might give me some competition and he is probably better in a single sport. I'm the best overall athlete in multiple sports."
My sister should stick to reading. She's kind of competitive but would be just as happy if a game ended up in a tie. Look, I'm in my prime but back in the day my parents might have taken me out."
Psencik is coming off a pair of first-team, all-district honors in volleyball and softball.
She helped lead the Pioneers to the Regional round in softball before falling to the eventual state champ Second Baptist. In volleyball, Psencik flew around the court leading LSA to the Regional round as well.
"I've always played multiple sports," she said. "My first love is volleyball and I'd love to play it in college somewhere. I grew up playing softball too and I love to compete on the diamond as well. I love to stay active, so playing sports all the time has always been my way of life. In the summer, it's speed and conditioning camp and the beach."
Her father, Rob Psencik has coached and been the athletic director at LSA. While mom, Sheila, was the Head of School. Her brother, Beau, played football at LSA and is now a preferred walk on at the University of Nebraska.
Lily has always been a coach's kid. She's always been around the weight room or the gym.
"Having our parents at school is good and bad," she laughed. "When you need something at school, they are right there. It can get embarrassing because they have to punish your friends if they get into trouble. We've been here since I was in Pre-K, so I'm used to it."
While she doesn't plan on going into education or coaching, she does have plans to stay in sports.
"It's been my life for so long," she said. "I'd like to do physical therapy and help athletes get back on the field."
But once a coach's kid, always a coach's kid.
"I'd like to leave a legacy of being a great leader," she said. "It's so important in sports and something you can use the rest of your life. Being competitive is great, but being involved in sports is also a great way to meet life-long friends. It's a win-win.
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"We just wanted to keep his (Lynch) legacy going," Fitzpatrick said of his fallen coach. "His thing was to get onepercent better every day. We played for him with that in mind. As well as just holding yourself accountable."
Fitzpatrick is just next in a line of star baseball players at Concordia Lutheran following the likes of Ke'Byran Hayes (Pittsburg Pirates) and Shane Baz – the 12th overall pick by Pittsburgh in 2017.
"It's a huge honor to play here," he said. "Being able to come play for such a prestigious high school baseball program has been a great experience. That's why I'm here."
Fitzpatrick has been able to develop at Concordia and looks forward to the next level in due time.
"I think I'm good at a little bit of everything," he said. "I don't throw the hardest, but I do throw pretty hard. I mix up my pitches and hit my spots. That's kind of my thing. My ultimate goal is to keep getting better and hopefully put myself in a position to get drafted and see what happens next."
He has options. Arkansas, which just won its first SEC Championship, is another tremendous opportunity if he doesn't head the MLB route.
"The coaching staff at Arkansas is what sold me," he said. "Coach 'Dave' VanHorn is a legend in college baseball and Coach 'Matt' Hobbs has a great philosophy for pitchers. I'm really excited for that and ready to improve."
While he has adult decisions ahead of him, Fitzpatrick is still a teenager.
"I play golf, hunt and fish, play with my dogs and hang out with friends," he said. "I also lift weights a lot."
Who have been his greatest influences?
"My first favorite player was Lance Berkman," he said. "But now, I really like Clayton Kershaw. He's had such a great career and he's a lefty."
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