Picture: Jackson Holliday’s cheerleader sister Gracyn Ivy and friends enjoy weekend football
Baltimore Orioles' Jackson Holliday is having a fine rookie season in the major leagues. After initially struggling with his first taste of top-level baseball, Holliday has greatly improved, especially since being recalled by the Orioles from Triple-A Norfolk at the end of July.
The 20-year-old comes from a family of athletes. His father, Matt Holliday, played in the major leagues for 14 years, representing the Colorado Rockies, Oakland Athletics, St. Louis Cardinals and New York Yankees.
His younger brother, Ethan, is also aiming to follow in Jackson's footsteps and make it to the major leagues, and is projected to be a top draft pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. To add to that, Jackson's sister Gracyn Ivy is also athletically gifted and is a cheerleader in school.
On Saturday, Gracyn posted a picture to her social media story, as she enjoyed a football game with her friends. There are five girls in the picture, including Gracyn. This was an opportunity for Gracyn to enjoy the game as a spectator, away from her cheerleading duties.
Jackson Holliday's mom Leslee names Gracyn as the "most competitive kid" in the family
Jackson Holliday's parents Matt and Leslee appeared on the August 28 edition of the Pure Athlete Podcast and talked about a multitude of topics related to sports and family. Within the show, they discussed the various paths their four kids have chosen in life, aligning with their passions.
The couple also talked about how their daughter, Gracyn Ivy, is incredibly athletic and perhaps the fiercest competitor out of anyone in the family.
"She's (Gracyn) incredibly athletic, she's probably the most competitive kid we have. You play wiffle ball with her, forget about it. She just really hasn't had the opportunity to be completely honest with you because of all the moving around we've done and the boys doing their thing to play a team sport," Leslee said.
Also on the show, Leslee talked about how sports has greatly helped shape the character of her kids, as it made them get stronger, not only physically but also mentally. According to her, it taught them to be hardworking and competitive in all aspects of life, while dealing with pressure.
With the Orioles looking to go deep in the playoffs, all that experience will be coming to the fore for Jackson Holliday as he plays in the postseason for the first time in his career.