The Playbook
A Student-Athlete’s Guide to Success
Authored by Robert Grilli
Edition: First Edition
A playbook prepares you to succeed on the field. This playbook attempts to serve a similar function both on and off the field and offer tips and tools that draw on experiences of a former student-athlete’s personal growth over two decades. I trust my journey and the tools I have utilized to succeed academically, athletically and socially will empower current and prospective student-athletes alike. It will also empower family, friends, coaches, and faculty to connect and help their student-athletes thrive. I wish you the best as you embark on this exciting chapter of your life.
About the author:
My name is Robert Grilli, I’m 5’9 175lbs (as per my baseball roster), have the ability to grow a mean beard which I attribute to my country of origin as it serves as a blanket of warmth during the perceived 365 days of igloo weather and polar bear riding season. Jokes aside, I am from Canada, born and raised. I attended St. Dunstan Elementary school. I graduated from St. Michael’s College school (SMC) in downtown Toronto at 17 and left home at 18. I attended Salt Lake Community College in Utah for two years, I was recruited to and graduated from the University of Houston with Bachelor of Science in Economics with a minor in Business in Spring 2016.
Nice article from Grilli about why he wrote the book.
I am what most scouts/talent evaluators would deem “undersized” but what about 99.9% of people can’t quantify is my heart and determination. I knew that if I wanted to play at a top 25 Division 1 program, get a Tier I Education and play in a warm weather state, I would have to take a different path. Therefore, I chose to attend Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) for two years as a student-athlete and subsequently earned a scholarship to attend the University of Houston for my junior year. I was fortunate to have a great support system of teammates and coaches during high school, at SLCC, and UH. These relationships are the ones that helped to shape me into the person that I have become and that I will cherish for the rest of my life.
What sort of reactions have you gotten about the book so far?
The feedback that I have received so far has been very gratifying in that, when others share the same passion and excitement that I do about this book, it’s quite a fulfilling feeling. A lot of parents are reading the book as well, which is really cool to me. Some of the more notable responses have been from individuals saying that they wished they had this resource before their first year of college, as it would have allayed a lot of the uncertainties that come with transitioning into college as a student-athlete. Furthermore, prospective student-athletes are giving me a ton of great feedback about how they are going to implement the tools and tips outlined in this book for the upcoming school year.
Grilli, who now works as a business development manager for a Toronto technology company, believes learning how to manage time is an important skill for a student-athlete.
“One of the things that helped me was developing an agenda,” says Grilli, who began his college career at Salt Lake City Community College before transferring to Houston. “At the start of each semester, I would input all my practice dates, game dates and take the syllabus from my professors and enter the due dates for projects and tests. It ensured that I was staying on track.”
