Second-generation basketball Tommie following in father's footsteps
There's a common phrase uttered in the hallways and classrooms around St. Thomas University (STU). "Once a Tommie, always a Tommie."
The phrase means that students who attend the school are not just a number or a name in the graduating class. Instead, you are a permanent part of the school's family and community long after you graduate.
Oftentimes, situations arise where athletes have parents who went to STU in the past and played sports with the Tommies. These situations help the student to carry on their parents' legacy, while carving a path for themselves in their chosen sport.
Grace Crawford is someone who has embodied the phrase. The Belleville, Ontario native is a wing for the school's women's basketball team.
Entering her second season with the green and gold, Crawford is the daughter of a STU graduate and former athlete. Her father, Eric Crawford, was a student-athlete at STU for the better part of five years. He earned two degrees at the school, including his Bachelor of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Education.
During that time, he played on the men's soccer team and the former men's hockey team.
Eric is the current Director of Pro Scouting for the Montreal Canadiens. He has been in the position for the better part of a decade. Before that, Eric served as the Director of Player Personnel for the Vancouver Canucks.
Crawford credits her father for helping with her decision to come play basketball at STU. She has wanted to attend STU since she was nine years old, as it was the "only school" she heard of growing up.
"My father talked about Fredericton and how fun the experience was and how great the community was. Going out to their games, they would always have a great audience," she said. "[STU] has a really tight-knit community, which I liked, especially if I was going to school far away."
When she was applying to university, Crawford only reached out to schools on the east coast.
Crawford's father was helpful when she was being recruited by the Tommies. He was unbiased and played the role of "devil's advocate." Crawford had also visited the school on multiple occasions. As a result, going to STU for her undergrad was "always in the back of her mind."
She calls the connection one that is "fun to share" with her father.
"He let me weigh it all about my options. The final decision was mine. But having him work in sports helped," said Crawford. "He could relate to a lot of the issues or challenges I was having."
Her father's connection is not the only reason why Crawford chose STU. She also felt the school was a great academic fit that matched her future goals and dreams. She wants to be a high school teacher when her time at the university is finished.
At the same time, Crawford was also sold on the kind of players STU had on their roster. She practiced with the team during the summer before her grade 12 year. What stood out to her from the experience was "how inviting" and welcoming the team was to her.
Crawford also credits her coach for helping her choose to attend STU. Her coach, Fred Conners, had a previous relationship with her father. Eric and Conners attended STU at the same time. Therefore, they were in contact with each other during the entire process.
She felt her coach was "really great" during the recruitment process, as well as "patient."
"My father was very adamant in me being part of the community because what he enjoyed most was just the city of Fredericton and the people," she said on what advice her father gave her on being a student-athlete. "He never puts that much pressure on me academically or athletically. Once I got here, he just wanted me to be a big part of the community."
Crawford expressed interest in encouraging her future children to attend and play sports at STU. If they choose to attend the school, then she would like to take the same approach that her father had when she was recruited.
Regardless, having the opportunity to call her future children a "third generation" Tommie is something she feels would be a "pretty cool experience."
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