Justin Grady is a goalkeeper at George Washington University who was once a recruit like you. Today, we sat down with Justin to learn about the positives and potential drawbacks of being a college athlete. Here are his best advice and tips for high school athletes considering college sports.
Q: What did it feel like for you to commit to your school?
A: It was just kind of a relief. GW was one of the later schools that kind of contacted me. And I had been pretty much through the whole process and didn't know what I was going to do because I had had some offers from other schools that I think weren't a great fit. And GW had kind of come in after I made the decision to kind of wait it out to see what else would come through. Luckily, they came through, but it was definitely a good fit.
Initially, when you come in the hardest thing is learning how to balance everything.
-Justin Grady
Q: What else drew you to the school other than soccer?
A: Definitely location. Being right there in DC, there's a lot for everybody, no matter what you want to do [and] a lot of connections [as well], which I kind of found out later on. But [that's] been something that's really helpful for me, professionally and academically. Growing up, my parents always stressed academics, and it's definitely a great school. It's [a] top school [for me] to be able to push myself.
Related: Rate George Washington University
Q: What do you think has been the hardest thing for you being a college athlete?
A: Initially, when you come in the hardest thing is learning how to balance everything. In high school, obviously, you're juggling a little bit more than your other classmates because you play sports, but it's a whole different level in college. [It's important to] make sure you're getting enough sleep [and] eating well, which was something me and my roommates didn't do a great job of freshman year. But we learned kind of the hard way because [we were] all on our own staying up to all hours a night [and] you really got to pay for it the next morning at practice and things like that.
Q: What has been the most rewarding thing for you as a college athlete?
A: There's certain points within the academic year, within the season, where you really feel that you're kind of firing on all cylinders. And that's what really feels the best–when you're really performing on the field, you've been putting the work in academically, you're getting good marks on exams, it's really rewarding. And then just other small things like just going to team meals, hanging out in the hotels and just relaxing and bonding with your teammates.
Related: The Daily Grind of D1 Soccer Player Maronne Suzuki
Q: How was playing a sport helped you grow as a student and as an athlete?
A: Playing a sport, especially in college really pushes you to be really good at time management, but also really detail oriented. When you're in high school, you hear coaches preaching about certain values that come with the sport that you can apply in life. But it doesn't really hit home or like reaches [the] highest level until you're in college. College coaches are [at] a whole [different] level. They're kind of revved up from high school coaches, they're preaching all these values, and you find out that they do really translate and the rest of your life.
Q: How would 2aDays have helped you during the recruiting process?
A: I think that in these kinds of decisions, the more information that you have, the better, I was kind of, for the most part, flying blind in the whole process. I didn't have a lot of guidance. So definitely just having resources to look at whether it's, ratings or blogs, like seeing other people talk about things involved with the college recruiting process, and just college, in general, knowing what to expect going into recruiting but also within the process of recruiting, knowing what to expect when you get to school, and other people's opinions.
Related: Rate your Coaches, Facilities, and Campus Visits
Q: What has been your favorite college soccer memory so far?
A: Definitely trips with the team. We've been lucky enough to take some great trips. My first trip that I actually took my freshman year, we got to go to Portland to play a game. We stayed an extra day [and] we got to explore the city. And then we got to go to a Portland Timbers game that night before we flew out, it was a great experience.
Image Credit: GWU Athletics
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* Originally published on September 29, 2022, by Chris Russo
