From an early age, Bruins' assistant soccer coach Jon Grant has always set high expectations for himself. Every time he set foot on the field, Grant wanted to be the best he could possibly be. His dream was one day to play professional soccer. When he came to Bob Jones University as a freshman in 2007, Grant dazzled fans as they watched him become a star on the Beta Gamma Delta Patriots soccer team. He led the team to three straight Turkey Bowl championships and was named player of the year in 2009. During his senior season, Grant caught the eye of the coaching staff from Furman University. Upon his graduation, Grant was offered a scholarship to play for the Furman Paladins. "Jon is a very interesting guy," Furman Head Coach Doug Allison said. "He is just a fantastic player that is very strong."
Most recently, Coach Grant joined the Bruins' soccer staff as an assistant coach for the men's soccer team. He helped lead the Bruins to a 10-5-1 record in their inaugural season. At the end of the season, Grant learned of an opportunity to make his dreams of professional soccer a reality. He traveled to Florida for the InfoSport Pro Combine which had coaches from MLS, NASL, and USL Pro. (top three divisions of pro soccer in America). Throughout the three day tryout, Grant showed his skills to the coaches and scouts in attendance. "Going to these tryouts, you never know who's going to see you play well, or not," Grant said. "There's always a chance of catching someone's eye or showing potential that can get you to the next level."
Of the hundreds of participants in the tryout, Grant was selected in the top-40 players to compete against the U.S. under-17 national team on the last day of the combine. A few weeks later, Grant participated in an invitation-only tryout with the Charlotte Eagles. Throughout the three-day tryout, Grant worked hard and was offered a spot on the Southern West Virginia King's Warriors soccer team (professional development league). "I've always dreamed of being a professional soccer player because I love the game," Grant said. "Soccer, and athletics in general, can be such a powerful tool in influencing people."
Each time Grant steps on the field, he knows he represents something far greater than himself. "Acting differently than other players on the field and working as hard as possible gets noticed by people very quickly," Grant said. "Soccer can be such a great tool to reach people for the Gospel. When you play soccer, especially if you play well, people respect that and want to hear what you have to say about things of God."
Although Grant is unsure of his future with the Bruins, he knows that God will direct and guide him every step of the way. "In the long run, I know that God is in control in all of that so it's easy just to go out and play the game. If He has something in His plans for me that involves playing soccer that's awesome, if not, then I'm going to go through the next door He opens up." Playing at the highest level is the dream of many who step on athletic fields. For Jon Grant, this opportunity is not only a chance to live his dream, but also a way to magnify Christ to the world.
