Star Student Athlete: Greg Plays Football, Hockey, Track And Field

CONCORD, NH — We all know student athletes who also bring their A-game to other parts of their lives.

Here at Patch, we've launched an initiative to help recognize these heroes making a difference in their communities. We’re working to let all your neighbors know the individual stories behind the leaderboard.

This submission comes from Bill Watson who nominated Greg of Concord.

Star student athlete’s name

Greg

Star student athlete’s home state

New Hampshire

Star student athlete’s Patch town

Concord

How do you know the star student athlete?

He is our son

What sport does the star student athlete play?

Football, Hockey, Track and Field

Why do you believe the star student athlete should be recognized?

Greg has always been an amazing person. He has skated since he was 18 months old, played hockey since he was 4, and played violin since he was 5. While my wife was pregnant with him she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She gave birth to him after having necessary surgery, but before starting chemotherapy and radiation. For 11.5 years she battled with cancer until she passed in October 2016.
During that time she homeschooled both of our children, trying to ensure that she gave them as much as she could, and trying to offer all opportunities that she could.
Since 6th grade Greg has journeyed with grief, grown emotionally, physically, academically, and become an amazing young man. His love of community service has been nurtured and he has served meals and help the homeless in Boston, Massachusetts, through organized efforts, as well as helped to run the Concord NH Homeless shelter. He has gone to West Virginia with his school to support Habitat for Humanity and plans on it again in Spring 2023. His love of sports has grown. He took up rock climbing, raised funds for a new outdoor volleyball court for his middle school, continues to play hockey, and has expanded his varsity sports into football and track and field. Now in his Senior year of high school, he also carries a 95.79 (out of 100) GPA, and is busy preparing his applications for college to study aeronautical engineering.
It is in high school that I have seen the most amazing parts of him come out. In his first game of varsity football sophomore year, he blew out his left knee, resulting in the need for ACL reconstructive surgery. He lost out the chance to play football and hockey for the rest of his sophomore year, but after the initial reasonable setback, he set his mind and body to come back stronger. He worked tirelessly through rehab with PT, in the weight room, working on his upper body, then full body once ready, and was on the sidelines for every football practice and game and on the bench for every hockey practice and game. He learned more, he helped to coach both teams and he grew as a player. He received the Coach’s Award in hockey that year. His Junior year he came back stronger than ever for both football and hockey. Based on his size (he gained 25 pounds of muscle in the weight room) he was an instant starter on both the offensive and defensive lines. And after hockey season was over he decided to join the track and field team to throw shotput, discus and javelin.
All of this happened during the pandemic, and all of this happened while he would get to school at 6 a.m. to lift weights, full day of school, participate in sports practices, go to his private violin and viola lessons, get home, help with household chores, and still work to maintain his 95 GPA.
And on top of all of this, he has also been named to NH All-State Orchestra for 2 years for viola.
For the last two years, he has been serving on his high school’s Student Athletic Leadership Team and a NH Statewide Sports Safety Team to be an ambassador for how to play sports safely and properly rehab and recover.
Now we are in his senior year. At the first football game of the season, what happened? He blew out his opposite knee in September. On Oct. 12, he had surgery to reconstruct his ACL and repair his meniscus. His damaged MCL has been healing on its own. Again, he will miss the rest of his playing seasons for football and hockey, which is NOT the way he wanted to spend his senior year. But he is working with his doctor, trainer and PT to be ready for throwing season in Track and Field come spring. He continues his academic success and his violin and viola playing. He continues to serve the greater community with plans to return to West Virginia with Habitat for Humanity in the Spring, and serving to share his experiences of loss, grief, anxiety with other high school students.
As his Dad, I am biased. But his accomplishments speak for themselves. And as a person? I think this quote speaks volumes to Greg’s character, values and the person he is to others. This came from a friend of his this past week, knowing that Greg was down and being hard on himself because of his latest surgery. “Greg is a light in many folks’ lives. I’ll talk to some friends and send him some much deserved love”. In today’s world, I think this is the best reflection of who Greg is, a great kid, a leader, an amazing student, a determined and talented athlete, an amazing son, and an amazing person.

What's one thing you want everyone to know about the star student athlete?

“Greg is a light in many folks’ lives. I’ll talk to some friends and send him some much-deserved love.”

Greg lost his Mom, and lost himself along the way, but at the same time he found a new version of himself, one that continues to grow, challenge himself, face adversity, celebrate successes (humbly and quietly) and he continues to grow into an amazing young man and leader, in and out of class, on and off the field, in the orchestra, and in life.

Keep up the great work, Greg!

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