Image Credit: Eastside Catholic School
The crowd erupted on November 18th, 2023, when Gisele Juric earned a silver medal in the Special Olympics of Washington 2023 State Bowling Tournament, representing the Eastside Catholic Options Bowling Team with pride. The silver medalist was supported by friends, family, and teammates as she closed out her senior bowling season with an incredible feat. While a silver medal at state is remarkable in its own right, the medal is just another token of Juric’s incredible journey in the sports world and her extraordinary passion for all she does.
Juric attends Eastside Catholic through a program called The Options Program which is designed to offer individualized academic and life skill development for high school students with diagnosed intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. Current Options Program director, Michele Barton met Juric on her first day of high school and had endless kind words to share about the silver medalist.
“Amazing, hardworking, and thoughtful” were the three adjectives Ms. Barton used to describe Juric, and anyone who is lucky enough to be in Gisele’s life knows this description to be true. Ms. Barton continued to describe how Juric exhibits these qualities in her daily life.
“Gisele for me, she’s just a very good human,” shared Ms. Barton, “She’s really impacted my life (for the better) the past four years. She is really one of those students I’ll never forget.” It’s not only Ms. Barton whose life Gisele has forever altered, but her entire community’s.
It’s difficult to find many more inspiring than Juric. The athlete has big dreams and an even bigger heart, allowing her to chase her dreams while never failing to show love to those around her. Juric has dramatically impacted the Eastside Catholic community over the past four years, brightening every room she walks into and paving the way for future Options Program students to dream big.
The senior’s story is an unbelievably motivational tale and one deserving of recognition but for Juric herself, she just wants to share a simple message:
“Just be yourself, do what you want to do and what you feel like is what is best for you. Do your best and enjoy that; enjoy your life!”
But looking back, not all her athletic endeavors propelled her to her 2nd-place finish at the Washington bowling championships.
Juric’s athletic journey began with badminton in middle school, which she quickly realized was not her calling. “I liked it, I just didn’t love it. I was fine, but I wasn’t the best,” she admitted.
In high school, she began to devote time to bowling and basketball, her two favorite sports. For a long time, every Sunday meant bowling practice, and Juric had consistent outstanding results her senior year, eventually earning the gold medal which sent her to state. Now, she’s gearing up for basketball season and is back to Sunday practices with aspirations of winning the state tournament.
Just like any athlete, Juric has faced ups and downs, but she’s enjoyed consistent structure from her supporting cast.
“My teammates have to try hard to keep me on task sometimes because I get excited over the game or start joking around because I just love to have fun. At the same time, I’m structured towards winning, and I want my coaches to know I have the full potential to do well. So sometimes I can get nervous about that.”
When the nervousness and energy get the best of her, Juric turns to her teammates, “I think my friends are really fun. Getting to [bowl] with them makes it a lot less stressful. It’s really cool to have teammates that support you in every way possible, that’s really why I do these sports at EC.”
Image Credit: Eastside Catholic School
Not only does Juric love her team, but her teammates also love her. Juric’s uplifting attitude and supportive nature allows her to boost her team’s spirits and be her teammates’ number one fan.
“She’s that one on the sidelines always rooting everybody on. She has excellent sportsmanship. She’s incredibly encouraging and enthusiastic. When you’ve got Gisele on your team, you know you’ve got a great teammate,” shared Barton.
Juric embodies the best teammate someone could ask for, not only in sports, but in life. Juric can often be seen helping her peers in the classroom and supporting her friends on their best and worst days. “I often tell myself to be like [Gisele]. To be that positive attitude and always be so social and welcoming,” noted Barton. Juric’s upbeat persona and lively character allow her to float through life making people feel cared for, a quality many aspire to have.
Despite being someone who effortlessly uplifts those around her, Juric can be hard on herself. Ms. Barton shared how Juric has worked for the past for years to be proud of how far she’s come and her successes rather than doubt herself.
“Gisele is the hardest on herself. We have worked together on how to overcome that, and she’s really done a beautiful job,” Ms. Barton provided insight on how Gisele has overcome an obstacle many athletes face: self-doubt. One way Gisele works towards a goal of believing in herself daily is through positive self-talk and encourages other athletes to do the same.
“Getting that silver medal showed me that I can do this, that I can succeed in life, and do everything to the best of my ability,” Juric proudly shared.
Sports have played a vital role in Juric’s self-confidence and authenticity. Playing Options bowling and basketball has shown her she can do whatever she puts her mind to and help her gain the courage to try new things.
It was thanks to Gisele’s positive experience with athletics that she was able to pave a path for others. Last spring, she performed as part of the ensemble in EC’s spring musical, Mean Girls, and became the first student from the Options program to ever compete in DECA.
Image Credit: Eastside Catholic School (Juric featured far right)
“In the entire history of the Options Program, which opened its doors them same day EC did in the 1980s, Gisele is the only options student to compete in DECA. She competed two years in a row, and she took it really seriously. Gisele absolutely put her heart and soul into it from the get-go,” reflected Ms. Barton who was amazed, but not surprised, by how Gisele set herself up for success when it came to competing in DECA.
From taking marketing class as an immersion class into general education where she dedicated hours of hard work to her presentations to asking her peer tutors, teachers, and parents for help when she felt it was needed, Juric was a model DECA participant and earned excellent feedback from judges.
“I did hospitality and tourism team decision making with my peer tutor, Morgan, which was really fun. I also did marketing management with my previous peer tutor, Eden, and I got a 70/100 both times. I have really enjoyed my time in DECA. Having those achievements felt good, and I hope to keep doing similar things in the future,” shared Juric.
Juric began playing bowling and basketball, competing in DECA, and joined the musical simply because they interested her, and she wanted to have fun. Little did she know the vast impact she would have on those around her. Juric proved not only to herself, but also to her community that if you are willing to put in your 100%, whatever that may look like, you can do anything you set your mind to.
To know Gisele Juric is to love Gisele Juric, and her peers, teachers, and community can’t wait to watch her flourish as she graduates in 2024 and undoubtedly goes on to inspire and uplift others.
