A star on the field, an artist at heart

DAVENPORT - Anyone who follows local sports knows the name Soliday. It is synonymous with winning. Glenna Soliday, a high school junior, is the latest in her lineage crowned a state champion. In 2023 and 2024, she won the 100 and 300-meter hurdles at the WIAA 2B State Track Meet. She is also a standout player on the soccer pitch and this winter the Northeast 2B Basketball League honored her as its Most Valuable Player.

Glenna is no slouch in the classroom, either. She is a member of the National Honor Society and two weeks ago, Glenna and her basketball teammates were named Academic State Champions with a 3.9 team GPA.

However, Glenna is more than an athlete and scholar, she has other talents too. She plays the clarinet and sings in the Honor Choir, but one thing that brings her joy is drawing.

Glenna's destiny was established before she was born. Her mother Stacia (Marriott) Soliday was a star on Davenport's 1992 and 1993 state championship basketball teams, and her father Monty was an all-around athlete at Reardan High school, winning state titles in 1993 and 1994 in the 110 and 300-meter hurdles. Her older sister Darby won back-to-back state titles in the hurdles in 2018 and 2019, and a state soccer title in 2019, and brother Brenick was a leader on the Gorillas' 2023 state championship basketball team. Last year as an eighth grader, younger sister Charlotte, won four medals in the high school state track meet.

Athletic excellence is in her DNA, and so is humility.

Many high school athletes take part in sports to have fun and to spend time with friends, and Glenna does too, but as a Soliday, "participation is encouraged because it's about teamwork, building life skills, learning not to give up, building character, learning how to deal with failure, and it is also a way to show your skills."

She is soft-spoken, quick to smile, and thoughtful. On the soccer field, Glenna has the speed of a sprinter and the footwork of a dancer, but it is her competitive nature that sets her apart.

Glenna has not experienced a lot of losing in her high school career, but when she does, "I get upset," she said. "I try to figure out what I could have done different. I want to learn from my mistakes and move on so that I become better."

Glenna has had a bent towards creativity since she was young. In preschool, she enjoyed doodling, and in elementary school she discovered she could copy pictures. In middle school, Glenna did not take art seriously, but it was then that she realized it brought her joy. As a freshman, she embraced her talent and started compiling her drawings in a sketchbook.

Glenna is a leader but one who does not wear her emotions on her sleeve. One way Glenna deals with the stress of high school and the pressure of competition is through her art. She goes into her bedroom, shuts the door, listens to music, and creates detailed and thought-provoking sketches with a pencil, ink, and colored pencils.

"I find drawing relaxing and therapeutic," she said. "I wouldn't say that I pour my emotions out, but it does allow me to express them on paper. If I go into my room feeling a little down, I come out with a great weight lifted off my shoulders."

According to Glenna, her mom Stacia is also "pretty crafty," though her mom does not paint. Glenna is self-taught. She wants her artwork to be uplifting with an emphasis on her Christian faith.

"I started painting because I wanted to be closer to God," she said. "It is a way that I can share my faith. I usually include a Bible verse on each drawing, which serves as a reminder to me, as well. When I read verses about God's love, it reminds me of how wonderful my life is. If I can spread his word through my drawing, it might make others feel better."

Glenna's artwork features a realistic object to which she adds symbolism and a positive message.

She hopes to broaden her skills by weaving people into her illustrations.

"My goal is to capture life. It is in peoples' eyes," she said.

Last year Glenna branched out into personalizing athletic shoes with acrylic paint. She has customized shoes for family and friends, each with a colorful design, logo, or school mascot. So far, she has designed eight pairs of shoes and is considering doing custom jobs to earn extra money.

Glenna's dream is to "visit Italy and Greece to study their intricate designs. I want to see columns, arches and classical architecture." After that, she hopes to become an architect.

"I love art, am decent at math and am very precise so think that would be a good career for me."

"I don't want to design bridges," she said. "I want to design something that people can enjoy, like houses. Someday I hope to design my own."

Glenna has one desire for all who view her work.

"I want to remind people that God will take care them and that he is enough," she said. "His opinion of you is the only one that matters. Everyone struggles but when you have a difficult day, he can fix it."

This spring Glenna will attempt to three-peat as a state champion in track, and next year as a senior, who knows what she will accomplish. One thing is sure, she will use her talents to share her faith and will do all things with class and humility: the Soliday way.