Classroom Champions: Crawford’s Grant Underwood
CRAWFORD, Texas (KWTX) - The 8-1 Crawford Pirates are now one win away from a district title. One of the players right in the center of the turnaround is senior center Grant Underwood.
“He’s a tremendous football player,” said Crawford head football coach Ty Robinson. “He plays with great effort. He’s a physical guy, not the biggest guy in the world. And obviously with his intelligence, he can apply his intelligence to the field. He makes a lot of our line calls for us at center. He’s just a really special player and human being.”
Underwood is a very talented football and tennis player, but academically, Underwood has accomplished something less than 0.3 percent of students have ever done: scoring a perfect 36 out of 36 on the ACT.
“I got a 35 the first time,” said Underwood. “My parents were like ‘Let’s see if we can do better.’ I definitely studied, but standardized tests have always come really naturally to me. Academics are always first on my list,” said Underwood.
The senior stud is also a three-time UIL spelling champion. To no surprise, Underwood is on track to graduate as class valedictorian. Next fall, Underwood will study physics at Baylor to eventually go into research and earn a PhD in quantum physics.
“Quantum physics is just so interesting to me. I think it gets to the root of everything we know about the universe,” said Underwood. “I got a physics textbook for my birthday actually. Pretty nerdy sounding (I know), but I read through that and it’s just so fascinating to me.”
Outside of all of his accomplishments both on and off the field, Underwood’s greatest pride is his faith.
“I want to be remembered as a Christian and a follower of Christ, and for setting that light and example in my school,” said Underwood. “What I’m gonna miss most? Just that feeling of community. This is such a tight knit town that supports everybody. I’ll be coming back to some Friday night football games, but that’s what I’m gonna miss.”
Congratulations to Grant Underwood, you’re a Classroom Champion!
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