Griswold Aims High for Success

Kevin Griswold is Garden Grove’s ace.

The senior, who aspires to be a pilot, has been flying around the track all spring for the Argonauts.

In the classroom, Griswold might be even more of a success. His 3.2 grade-point average and score of 1,290 on the Scholastic Assessment Test earned him an appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., where he can pursue his dream of becoming a pilot.

It wasn’t as though all of this fell into Griswold’s lap, as the 6-foot, 180-pound three-sport star has a story filled with adversity.

Griswold got a late start in his track and field career, as the pre-track regimen of football in the fall and soccer in the winter resulted in injuries that hampered, and often prevented, his participation in track.

While playing soccer as a freshman, he dislocated a kneecap, which required surgery and caused him to miss track. Next was a football injury in his sophomore year, during which a chunk of bone was ripped from his right hip.

But Griswold’s third season was better, and he improved steadily.

After finishing second in the Orange County Championships in the 100- (10.85 seconds) and 200- (21.90) meter races, Griswold rolled to Garden Grove League titles in both sprints and helped his team to titles in the 400 and 1,600 relays.

By virtue of a third-place finish in the 200 (21.58) at the Southern Section Division III finals, Griswold achieved his seasonal goal of advancing to the Masters Meet, the qualifying round for the state championships.

Running in Lane 9, Griswold outran some of the section’s elite sprinters and finished fifth in 21.95, earning the last of five qualifying spots for state competition.

“My goal had been the Masters Meet, so when I made it there I was pretty happy with the way things were going,” Griswold said.

“Him making the state meet at that time wasn’t that much of a surprise,” Garden Grove Coach Mark Mariola said. “But at the start of the season, I didn’t know that much about him. I really didn’t know he was that fast.”

And since that state-meet appearance in June, where he ran a nonqualifying 21.83 for sixth in his heat, Griswold has only gotten faster.

At the Trabuco Hills Invitational on March 30, Griswold lowered his best times in the 100 and 200, finishing second to Mission Hills Alemany sophomore Miguel Fletcher. Griswold posted county-leading standards of 10.67 and 21.56 in the events, both of which rank among the top 12 in county history.

“I was happy. I got both [personal records] and my work is paying off,” Griswold said.

Griswold chose to forego his senior soccer season in favor of early season track conditioning.

“My coach and my parents were for it, but I grew up playing soccer, so it was a hard choice,” said Griswold, who last year was the soccer team’s leading scorer. “It was the right decision though, because last year I was getting hurt in almost every game.”

Griswold, who has been injury-free this year, has not only assumed the role of team leader for the Argonauts, ranked fourth in the Times Orange County poll, but has become a role model.

“Because of his ability, the other kids are just blown away with him,” Mariola said.

Being a team captain, Griswold has taken his new leadership duties to heart, speaking as a team player rather than an individual.

“My goals this season are more team-oriented. It’s great to see our team is up there in the rankings with some of the big schools in the county,” Griswold said.

As for his goal of flying, Griswold looks forward to the challenge.

“As long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated with planes,” said Griswold, whose mother and grandfather earned recreational pilot’s licenses.

The logical place for Griswold to learn his trade was the Air Force Academy and the fact that he can play football and run track for the Falcons made it a sensible college option.

But for now, Griswold is content keeping Garden Grove on the map.