The 11-year-old Queenstown netballer was forced to miss netball trials and pre-season training after breaking her left arm last month while playing touch rugby.
Her mother, Bron Cooper, said Gracie
had been feeling ''pretty flat'' and her mum decided she needed some encouragement and inspiration from her netball heroes, so she applied for an ''ANZ dream delivery'' for Gracie.
Last Thursday, Ms Cooper said she found out Gracie had been selected as the Southern Steel's ''mini-manager'' for the team's first home game of the ANZ Premiership netball competition against the Magic in Invercargill on Monday night, which the Steel won, 72-59.
A covert operation was launched to keep Gracie in the dark until Monday afternoon.
Ms Cooper said she picked up her daughter from school on Monday, leading her to believe she was being interviewed about injuries for a documentary by Netball New Zealand representatives - who were actually from PR agency Sputnik.
''[Then] she opened up this iPad message from the Southern Steel saying 'Hey Gracie, we've heard you've broken your arm and we want you to come to our game tonight in Invercargill and be our mini-manager'.
''It was amazing - she had no idea.''
Gracie was presented with a personalised mini Steel dress before heading to Invercargill, where she ran out on to the court with captain Wendy Frew and spent time with the team afterwards.
''They were amazing with her,'' Ms Cooper said.
''All of them engaged with her and made her feel completely comfortable on the court and were just so warm and welcoming.''
After helping with the post-match cool down and team briefing, she was invited to have a late dinner with the players.
''It was a huge day, but she went to school [yesterday] morning because she was so excited, she had to tell everybody.
''We were very blessed.''
Gracie said she ''loved every minute'' of the experience and was ''so inspired'' having spent time with some of her netball heroes.
''I'm actually so happy that I broke my arm now because I got to hang out with the Southern Steel and they are the coolest.
''They all made me feel so welcome and I couldn't be happier right now.''
