PLYMOUTH – Interesting times demand interesting solutions to overcome never before faced problems. Grant Houin and Plymouth High School hit on a very unique one. A day that is as big as graduation day to many senior athletes is signing day. Athletes gather family, coaches, and friends to celebrate their announcement of which school they have chosen to continue their academic and athletic pursuits. In what could only be described as a first for PHS, Houin and his family along with Plymouth AD Michael Delp and Grant’s coach Brad Haeck held a COVID-19 safe, socially distanced signing day as Grant announced his intentions to continue his tennis days at Trine University, via live-feed on Twitter. “I’ve visited their several times and met players and the coach (Erin Kolar) and it was just a really good fit for what I want,” said Houin. “She’s a great coach and her program is great and everything was just a really good fit for me.” Grant is the son of Chuck and Jennifer Houin. His major at Trine will hopefully keep him involved with athletics. “I’m going to major in sports management and they have a good program for that,” he said. “Of course I’d like to get involved with a sports team when I graduate, somebody like the Cubs, and NFL team, something like that somewhere in their organization. Being a GM (General Manager) someday would be great.” Last fall Grant was voted by the NLC Coaches onto the NLC Honorable Mention team. Grant is a multi-sport athlete as he was also a member of the varsity basketball team. Trine University was founded in 1884, they enroll just over 5000 students and the campus is located in Angola, IN. Trine University is a member of the NCAA Division III. They are also members of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association. The nine teams in the conference are all located in the states of Michigan and Indiana. The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association was established in 1888, making it the oldest college athletic conference in the United States. The current members of the MIAA include Adrian College, Albion College, Alma College, Calvin University, Hope College, Kalamazoo College, Olivet College, and Saint Mary’s College of Notre Dame. The Thunder were 6-2 on the year when the pandemic put an end to all spring college sports seasons. Grant will be joining another former Pilgrim tennis player in Mitch Rose, who will be a Sophomore next season for the Trine Thunder. “I’d like to win as many matches as I can when I’m in college, but it’s more than that,” said Grant. “I need to get out and get out of my comfort zone and challenge myself, experience some new things. This will be a way to do that. I think that will be really good for me. That’s really what I’m hoping to accomplish.”
