As one chapter comes to an end, another chapter opens up. Although Eddie Grant’s (‘20) time at Cherry Hill East is slowly winding down, the next chapter of his life at Lafayette College awaits. Grant is ecstatic and cannot wait to attend Lafayette for soccer this upcoming school year.

Lafayette is located in Easton, Pennsylvania. The school has a NCAA Division I soccer team that competes in the Patriot League. The team has found a tremendous amount of success this season, and Grant could not be more excited to contribute to the teams success next season.

Grant said, “I chose Lafayette because it is a tremendously competitive school academically and has a very good soccer team. I also really like how it is all undergraduates.”

From day one, Grant knew he wanted to play soccer in college. The sport has been a major part of his life for as long as he could remember, so he could never imagine life without it. Soccer has been Grant’s go-to ever since he was three years old.

“What I like most about soccer is that it relieves a lot of stress. When I am playing or training, I don’t have to worry about anything else,” said Grant.

Grant has been playing soccer for East since freshman year. All four years of highschool, Grant received the wonderful opportunity of playing for varsity. He feels very fortunate for this opportunity, especially since it allowed him to get close with the coaches. Grant adored his coaches and is thankful for all they taught him. Every day on the field was well spent, as Grant truly relished playing for East.

Grant said, “Playing for East has been a great experience for me. I loved being able to play with all my friends from school.”

Not only does Grant play soccer at East, but he also plays for SJEB Rush, a club soccer team in South Jersey. This team is a lot more competitive and the training is a lot more rigorous. They train very hard in preparation for playing teams all over the area. The team’s hard work paid off when they won the US Club Soccer (USCS) National Championship in 2018.

Teammates of Grant look up to Grant on and off the field. Not only is Grant an incredible midfield player, but he is also a team leader.

Kevin Lochbihler (‘20), one of Grant’s teammates, said, “On the field, Eddie is a high-level player, leading the attack as the highest goal scorer. He is always willing to work hard, win tackles and do what is best for the team. [Also], as the caption, he is very vocal. [Grant] is always teaching others through his instruction in games and training sessions where he demands an intense environment.

Grant’s coaches also noticed his special characteristics and all that he contributes to the team. As a result, they rewarded him with a few memorable awards. Some include the Golden Boot, the Offensive MVP and the first team all-conference. He even made All-South Jersey and All-State.

The recruitment process is difficult no matter what, but for Grant, it was extra challenging and stressful. During Grant’s junior year, he broke his femur. Grant went for a slide tackle at the Olympic Conference game, but fell down and was faced with a terrible injury. Unfortunately, he had to have surgery and had to attend countless hours of physical therapy every week. Grant was out for months. He came face to face with a dreadfully, long recovery process.

However, Grant did not let any of these challenges get in his way. Yes, it was now difficult for Grant to showcase his skills during his junior season. However, this did not prevent Grant from accomplishing his dreams and playing soccer at a Division I school. This bump in the road only made Grant work harder.

“I missed a very important time in the recruitment process, but I was able to work back and really showcase myself the summer going into senior year,” said Grant.

Although Grant was out for most of his junior year and had to fight past a painful injury, he still managed to get recruited by Lafayette for soccer.

Grant credits his success to his time at East. If it were not for East, Grant would not have come as far as he did, as a player and a student.

Grant said, “East has definitely prepared me well. I learned so much at this school academically and socially.”

Grant cannot wait to use all the skills East has taught him to help him excel in college. He is looking forward to playing soccer and studying economics in the next chapter of his life.

Hard work really does pay off. If it weren’t for all of Grant’s hardwork and dedication, he would not be where he is now.