Class 2012: Defensive star Jordan Grant to make Mount Allison next football chapter

Today, CFC shines the spotlight on class 2012star defensive tackle and recent Mount Allison University commit, Jordan Grant. Jordan has been playing football since he was 12 years of age.

Jordan Grant

Positions:
Defensive Tackle, Nose Tackle

Height/Weight:
5’10, 303 lbs

Teams:
Halifax West Warriors (high school: NSSAFFL)
Halifax Hornets (varsity: NSVFL)
Halifax Seahawks (junior varsity: NSVFL)
Timberlea Titans (peewee/bantam)

Commitment:
Commitment to Mount Allison University

Class:
2012

Jordan has displayed his gifted defensive talent while playing on many different teams. Those teams include the Timberlea Titans, and both the Halifax Seahawks and the Halifax Hornets of the Nova Scotia Varsity Football League (NSVFL).

However, the defensive tackle found his stride while suiting up for his high school team, the Halifax West Warriors of the Nova Scotia Student Athletic Federation Football League (NSSAFFL). During his time with the Warriors, Jordan not only developed into one of the most feared players on the field but became one of the elite defensive stars in Nova Scotia high school football.

The Warriors standout has been recognized for his football talents by his high school team and the league. In 2010, the NSSAFFL selected Jordan to the second all-star team and this past season (2011) to the Nova Division first all-star team at a defensive line position.

Moreover, Jordan was Warriors lineman of the year and the recipient of the Warrior Award, which is given to the player who best exemplifies commitment and leadership. Recently at the Prodigy Sports Maritime Combine, the defensive tackle was first in testing for the bench press at 255 lbs (17 reps). Since the Combine, Jordan has increased the number of reps between 22 and 23.

During his time with the Warriors, Jordan experienced three special moments on the field. One moment took place this past season as the Warriors faced the Sir John A MacDonald Flames in the Turkey Bowl.

“I have been close to a lot of those guys that were a part of that team I had known since I was 12 from me playing with them all through peewee and bantam football up until high school,” says the Warriors graduating defensive star. “Having a chance in my last year to put up a fight against them was fun, trying to beat a team full of players that I knew that would play as hard as I was going to and still after the game through all the hard hits and pain still be brothers.”

Another moment was when the Warriors played in the NSSAFFL Tier 2 championship title against the Lockview Dragons in November 2011.

“The second game against Lockview when we went into double overtime, in which I played offense and defense for the entire game,” comments Jordan. “We ended up losing 27-24 but to know with all the players from both team that it will be a game that we will never forget in our lifetime for the Tier 2 championship.”

The last memorable football experience was a special, yet inspiring family moment.

“The game my Poppy went to when I was in grade 10 playing spring league Seahawks,” says the Warriors defensive tackle. “He was very sick from a form of dementia that was causing him to lose his memory, see hallucinations and cause him to stop walking, but he still went to my game he managed to remember most of it.”

“It caught me off surprise when my mother brought him to the game at one point Ihad gotten pretty emotional when I saw him across the field watching me. It will be something I will never forget in football and my life.”

Jordan’s Poppy has been a steady influence on his football career.

“He told me to play football when I was 12 and was scared to play,” explains Jordan. ” He said not to be scared; just go and do it and try your hardest no matter how scared or nervous you are.”

“Just make sure to give my best no matter how much pain I would go through.”

Not only is Poppy a positive influence, but Jordan’s parents have encouraged and supported him in his quest to achieve all his dreams.

“My mom and dad who have done everything possible for me to go through football, life, university and everything else that I have done in my lifetime without them, I don’t know where I would be without them,” comments the Warriors graduating standout, who trains six times a week at the Ultimate Athlete Factory and three times a week at the Canada Games Centre. “They have done everything for me from paying for my training, paying for all the football camps to all the travels they did from game to game for me.”

“I would be nothing without them with all the support they have given me.”

In football, Jordan is grateful for the influences that Alan Wetmore and Warriors coaching staff, especially head coach Dave Kelly have been on his career.

“Al Wetmore, my trainer who has been training me since I was 14 years old at the Ultimate Athlete Factory and has made me the athlete I am today,” adds Jordan, who also acknowledges the support and instruction the coaches from the Hornets, Seahawks, Titans, Football University Camp and Atlantic University camp have given him over the years. ” Dave Kelly and all the other Halifax West coaches that have been a part of my high school career who has have helped and taught me everything I know and how to take the aspect of football to other things in my life like school, work, and family.”

Wetmore says the defensive tackle has made a long lasting impression on him.

“He is one of my favorite kids of all time and his loyalty to people and to his team is second to none,” comments Wetmore, who is also the head coach of the Sir John A MacDonald Flames of the NSSAFFL. “He is one of the strongest kids I have worked with and is definitely quicker and more agile than you initially predict.”

“His hard work and commitment is unprecedented. A team that is lucky enough to have Jordan on it would have a player that would do anything for the team and will be there, in the fight, right till the end. Jordan is a real great young man and it has been a privilege for me to work with.”

Kelly agrees with Wetmore about how much of an impact Jordan has made on and off the field.

“I don’t think there are too many guys that love the game of football more than Jordan that I’ve ever encountered,” says the Warriors head coach. “He works really hard at improving and getting better, which is a good quality.”

“He always has a smile on his face and is very good natured in that sense. He’s very committed to our program and to the players on the team.”

As for his defensive playing style, Kelly says Jordan uses his size and speed to his advantage.

“Jordan’s a big kid and he’s over 300 pounds so his strength is plugging holes, cutting that and cutting down the middle of the field, the middle of the A gaps,” explains Kelly. “He’s very strong at the point of attack and relentless between the tackles.”

As for his playing style and character, Jordan tries to emulate NFL star Vince Norfolk (New England Patriots).

“When I watch him play, I try to incorporate the same style of game plan his into mine and just try to fill holes and cause pile ups so other guys can make the plays and try to do so myself in the process.

“The number I want to wear would be his hopefully in university.”

After much thought, Jordan has decided to commit to Mount Allison University next season. The football and academic programs the school has to offer best suited the defensive standout.

“When I was looking for universities to go to, I found Mount A was just like being home and the atmosphere there was amazing,” explains the future Mounties player of his decision. “It felt like being in a big family with everybody watching out for one another other and the players and coaches there were great; they accepted you right in as if you were part of the family and wanted to do as much as they can to make you better and make the team better.”

“The decision really came down to friends of mine that were a part of the university and program who went through it all; being able to meet and connect with the coaches right off the bat and my family who agree with me that it would be the best decision I could make for football and school.”

When he attends Mount Allison, Jordan will study physiology and sociology. There are future career goals he would like to achieve which include becoming a sport physiologist and helping troubled kids. Playing in the CFL is a dream the defensive tackle would love to realize.

Overall, Jordan plans to use the recipe for success he’s learned from football to achieve all his goals at Mount Allison and beyond.

“I found that with football you can do anything you want to do in your life with hard work, determination and become successful with anything that you put your mind to,” explains Jordan. “You learn how to be a leader, how to give guidance to others and be a role model.”

“Football was able to teach me how to work hard, take that hard work off the field, puti t into other parts of my life and show other people how to work hard. Football is the best thing that ever happened to me and I would be nowhere without it.”