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Very Important Purpose
George Grimwade
What inspires you? "My mom and dad inspire me. I have kids on the team who told me stories that I would’ve never even imagined. Those things pretty much changed me. It really helps me to want to succeed in everything I do."
What college would you like to attend to continue your education? "I’m not really sure yet. I want to go to a really good school to get a good education, obviously that is first and sports are second. I’m trying to keep an open mind, that way I have more options."
Now that you have played both sports, basketball and football, which one do you like the most? "That’s a really hard decision. I’ve been playing basketball since I was a freshman. Ever since you are a little kid, you have this NBA dream that you want to go far with that. This year I started playing football for the first time ever and I loved it. I never knew I’d be able to fall in love with a sport just after one year."
Who’s your role model? "My mom is my role model. I live so far away from my activities and she drives me around every day. She’s always so supportive, in everything I do. I know, she’s got my back."
What are your dreams for the future? "Playing professional sports, but if not, I would like to go into sports media broadcasting."
Why is it so important for boys to be tall at a certain age? So we started searching for tall teenagers; that is how we met George Grimwade. Oh boy, is he tall? The average height for a 17 year old male in the U.S. is 5’9” to 5’10”; George is 6’8” tall.We arranged an interview with him at Gulliver Preparatory School, where he is a student. He showed us around his school and the gym where he practices basketball for several hours a day. After the tour, we sat outside to ask George some questions and to get to know him better. What a privilege to interview a person like George! The way he conducts himself with so much confidence, his passion for sports, and the way he is helping kids with special needs, are only a portion of the attributes of this incredible young man. With many golden opportunities knocking at his door, and the popularity that surrounds him, George has set his goals very clearly and he working hard to reach them.
Do you have any words of advice for the young community? "Of course, don’t do drugs, don’t drink. For me, it is important to be yourself and don’t let anyone affect who you are. When you allow someone to affect your life, they can change who you are. Don’t try to change yourself to fit in with the crowd, be yourself."
How do you balance your studies and sports? It’s hard, it’s really hard. When I get out of school, I have to attend tutoring sessions with some of my teachers. Then I have practice for 2 hours. I get home around 8 o’clock and I am dead tired; sometimes I don’t even want to eat, just take a shower and go to bed. I know that in order to get somewhere in life you need to maintain your grades, the first thing I do when I get home is study, I get the books out. Many times I study and do homework in the car while my mom drives me home; I do everything that is possible to maintain a high GPA."
How did you become a president of the Special Olympics run? "It was actually an opportunity that I got last year when the Boston bombing occurred during the marathon. I tried to put together a run, to benefit the families that were affected, some legal issues came up and I couldn’t be part of it. My sister’s school principal came up to me and said: “"I see that you like to do charity work, would you like to help me with this run I’ve been participating in every year?"”, that was March 19th by the way. So, I got involved. I met some kids; they nominated me as the president of the club pretty much for starting it. My role pretty much is to spread awareness for the cause and try to get as many people as possible to participate.
Why do you like special kids? "I had a neighbor whose name was Lexy, a very beautiful child, she had Down syndrome, I would never find her without a smile on her face. Every time I saw her, she was so warm and welcoming. She would always give us hugs and she loved my parents. I really love her."
What’s your workout routine? "Well, when I have some time off from training, practice, and studying I can then workout. First I like to get a good playlist of course, and then I worry about stretching. If I don’t stretch correctly I can get injured and I can be out for a long time during the season. The main thing is to keep yourself focused and don’t mess around when you're lifting heavy weights."
What are the advantages and disadvantages of being 6’8? "Some of the advantages are as far as sports and colleges, a lot of people may look at you with a different perspective, which is pretty cool. It helps a lot dunking, because I can’t jump that high, being 6’8 really helps a lot. I can always help people get things from high shelves. The disadvantage is that I am constantly hitting my head on things that are too low. I’m oblivious to a lot of things and I can hit my head fairly often.
What do you like to do in your spare time? "Hang out with friends and family. I like playing 2k and Madden and shooting hoops.
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