Grayson Shumate '23 Recruiting Profile

My name is Grayson Shumate, Class of 2023. I am a senior at Father Ryan High School in Nashville, Tennessee.  I have played lacrosse since the fourth grade and I am both a  midfielder and a face-off specialist for FRHS Varsity and Fine Tune Lacrosse. 

In addition to lacrosse, I also run cross-country and have since kindergarten. Running helps me clear my head and recharge, but I continue to run in the off-season because it allows me to stay in shape and to prepare for lacrosse season.  Being able to move quickly and maintain that speed is essential as a Middie, and especially important as a face-off specialist. 

Although I love my sports, I am also a focused student.  I take mostly Honors-level classes and am consistently on Honor Roll. I understand the commitment it takes to be a successful student-athlete.

I realize that I am fortunate to have numerous resources to help with academics and athletics, so I feel that it is important to give back. As a part of that, I serve as a  Student Ambassador and a Peer Mentor for our high school to help new and transfer students. I had to apply for both positions and was interviewed by multiple faculty members. Despite receiving applications from hundreds of students, I was appointed due to my preparation and strong communication skills.  Father Ryan also has a strong tradition of service, which provides numerous opportunities for me to give back to the community by volunteering by doing things like working with local food pantries and nonprofits. I also continue to participate in service programs through my home Parish.

One of the most common questions I hear is whether I get nervous when I handle faceoffs, and I truly do not. My mental toughness is one of my strongest attributes. I focus on doing the things I need to do before a test or a game to ensure I am ready for the challenge. That allows me to be in the moment and to focus on the task at hand rather than worrying about the outcome. And when I do not perform as well as I want, I learn from it, put it behind me, and focus on what I need to do to ace the next test or to win the next faceoff. 

I plan to continue both my academic and lacrosse career at a school with strong athletics and academics. I am very coachable and am not afraid to hear constructive criticism.