Carolyn Gravelle, one of the first recipients of the Keith Gilbertson Sr. Memorial Scholarship at Snohomish High School, Â has made a quick impression as a freshman walk-on hammer and weight thrower for the University of Washington track team.
Carolyn Gravelle (UW photo 2013)
The 2012 SHS co-valedictorian received an academic scholarship from Washington and was also one of the first two recipients of the Gilby Scholarship, administered by the Snohomish Education Foundation. The annual scholarship  awards $1,000  to a pair of graduating SHS seniors and is renewable for up to four years of college study.
A track and basketball standout in high school and a pre-med major at Washington, Gravelle is one of four freshmen among seven women throwers for the Huskies, and UW throwers coach T.J. Crater sees her as a potential star, based on her current progress and workout ethic.
“She could move up the UW record books in the weight and hammer very fast,” Crater says in a UW season preview article at  GoHuskies.com. “I think she could be the surprise of the group, and someone we could be smiling about very soon.”
In her first college meet,  Gravelle finished 13th in the top flight of  the shot put (34 feet, 10 1/2 inches) and 12th in the weight throw (41-2 3/4)  as the Huskies opened their indoor season at the UW Invitational.
Carolyn and her mother, Sarah Gravelle, were both on hand a week ago for the dedication of the Keith Gilbertson Sr. bust  in the foyer outside the SHS gym. Gilbertson spent 61 years as a Snohomish coach prior to his death in 2011 and was a volunteer assistant coach in girls basketball through Carolyn’s junior season.
“Carolyn is working hard,” Sarah Gravelle said. “I know Coach Gilby would be thrilled for her progress.”