Meet Kerrigan Gruhn! Kerrigan recently graduated from Gainesville High School and will be attending Georgia College in the fall. Her parents are Matthew and Kendall and she has a sister, Madeline.

Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
A: “Since before my parents were born, Gainesville has always run in my family. My grandfather, Bobby Gruhn, was an absolutely legendary football coach at GHS, creating a legacy for our family name, as the football stadium was named after him. His beautiful wife, Jean Gruhn, is also well known at GHS. She was a cheerleading coach and an incredible athlete. Everywhere I go it seems everyone has stories about my dad or my grandparents, and I always love to hear them. My dad, Matthew Gruhn, has also made his name well known. He coached football at Lakeview Academy for over 10 years, then moving to coach football at Cherokee Bluff high school. My mom, Kendall Gruhn, has made a huge impact on GHS, being the Department Chair of Special Education while teaching classes as well. My sister, Madeline Gruhn, also graduated from GHS and currently attends Western Carolina University. She was an incredible athlete, playing both tennis and volleyball. Family plays such an important role in my life, and I don’t know what I did to get blessed with such an incredible one. Although my family name is huge in Gainesville, I have never once felt pressure from my family. No matter what I have done within the past 18 years, they have always been supportive of me. I began playing volleyball in 4th grade through Gainesville Parks and Recreation, and ended up continuing to play for the next nine and a half years. My sister was my biggest inspiration to start playing in the first place, as she taught me everything I know. She unfortunately had to stop playing volleyball her Sophmore year of high school due to an illness. However, she never let it define her, as she graduated with many honors, and had a very successful tennis season her senior year. Through all of this, she never stopped supporting me, coaching me, and coming to my games whenever she could. I would not have been near as successful as I was if it wasn’t for her and the never ending support from my parents. Gainesville is a very special community, and has had such an impact on my family and I.”

Q: What are your plans after graduation?
A: “I plan on attending Georgia College and State University with a major in Psychology.”

Q: What are two of your favorite restaurants in our community?
A: “The Collegiate Grill and Taco Mac.”

Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?
A: “If I could travel anywhere in the world right now, it would have to be either Montana or Cancun, Mexico. My family and I actually went to Whitefish, Montana for my sister’s senior year, and it was nothing short of incredible. It really depicted God’s beautiful creation, and the views just left me speechless. It was so fun to go with my family, and we all had such a good time together. For my senior trip, we are going to Cancun, Mexico, and I can hardly wait! It looks so peaceful and relaxing, not to mention the crystal clear water and the beautiful views!”

Q: What is one of your favorite movies? TV shows?
A: “My favorite TV of all time is ‘Duck Dynasty.'”

Q: If you were asked to give advice to your senior class and the younger students at your school, what would you say?
A: “The biggest piece of advice I would give to the younger students at my school is something I wish I knew when I was an underclassman. That advice is to not be so hard on yourself, and high school is truly what you make of it. Truthfully, no one really knows what they’re doing in high school; we’re all just trying to make good grades and figure out who we are as people. Don’t try to be someone you’re not, as you were made you for a reason.”

Q: If you were able to be cast as yourself into a television show or series, what show would you want to be in?
A: “I would want to cast myself in ‘Friends,’ as I feel like I would get along with them really well and they just seem really fun to be around.”

Q: If you could choose anyone to have lunch with, who would you choose? Why? And where, locally, would you meet for this lunch?
A: “I would choose to have lunch with Victoria Garrick Browne at the Collegiate Grill, of course. She is a social media influencer who played volleyball for the University of Southern California. She goes around the country speaking to athletes about the importance of mental health as athletes, and works every day to break the stigma around mental health. She has her own podcast called ‘RealPod,’ where she has guests of all kinds talking about topics that aren’t typically talked about but should be, such as eating disorders, performance anxiety, and the struggles of mental health. She has been an incredible inspiration to me over the years, and going to lunch with her would be an absolute dream come true!”

Q: What is your favorite thing about our community?
A: “I would say my favorite thing about our community is how here, tradition never dies.”

Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?
A: “I see myself owning my own therapy practice for people of all ages.”

Q: What is something on your bucket list?
A: “Skydiving.”

Q: What is your go to band / singer when you cant decide what to listen to?
A: “Morgan Wallen, Ryan Hurd, or Zac Brown Band.”

Q: Favorite month? favorite holiday? and best single day on the calendar?
A: “My favorite month has to be July, as it’s the middle of summer and the weather is beautiful; hot, but beautiful. My favorite holiday is Christmas, as we get to Celebrate the birth of our Savior and I get to spend time with my whole family.”

Q: What would you rate a 10 out of 10?
A: “Taco Mac’s grilled steak tacos.”

Q: Who inspires you to be better?
A: “My family and Jesus Christ.”