From A Humble Beginning, Wv Eagle Brad Groh Soars

West Valley basketball player Brad Groh is an example of why an athlete’s future can’t necessarily be judged on the past.

He played basketball in seventh and eighth grade not because he was talented, but because he had played for so long, Groh said. He was not even a factor on his championship AAU team.

“I paid a lot of money and pretty much was sitting on the bench,” he said.

Upon entering West Valley High School, however, Groh became one of its premier athletes.

Last winter, the All-Border League basketball selection averaged nearly 16 points a game to lead the team.

In the spring, at the State 3A track meet, he placed in two hurdles races. He was an All-Frontier football wide receiver this fall.

Currently, Groh is the unbeaten Eagles’ basketball scoring leader once more, with a 19.3 average.

His future beyond WV, says coach Jaime Nilles, is even brighter.

“I still think physically he hasn’t reached his potential yet,” said Nilles. “His best days will definitely be in college. I think he can play at Division II for sure and maybe lower Division I.”

Groh’s growth from bench sitter to star, said his AAU coach Jim Psomas, “is a great success story.”

Psomas remembered him as being a player with potential, but at the time not as athletic as some of his more physically developed teammates.

“I know he feels he didn’t get to play as much with me,” Psomas said, “and there were times when that was true.”

But, said Psomas, Groh is an example of the positive results that come when a nice person devotes himself to a task.

Four years later some of his AAU teammates are no longer playing and Groh is the equal of those who are.

“He stayed on the right path instead of going the other way,” said Psomas. “That’s an important factor in success.”

Always able to shoot from outside, Groh’s transformation began between the eighth and ninth grade, when he grew 6 inches. Then-WV basketball coach Joe Feist saw something in the gangly left-hander.

“Joe looked at me and said I was going to be a player,” said Groh.”I’d be playing summer ball and he’d say I was going to be the stud of this team some day.”

That was the confidence boost that Groh needed. He made varsity as a sophomore and displayed occasional flashes of good things to come.

“Physically he was not there,” said Nilles. “But you could just tell he was going to be an athlete.”

Last year the 6-foot-3 junior with a long-range shooting touch emerged.

This year, said Nilles, his game has further evolved.

“The biggest thing he’s worked on is his in-between game,” said Nilles. “He used to be a good 3-point shooter and could make some layups. Now he has a jump shot and has taken what the defense gives.”

Part of that, said Groh, is that even though he is left handed, opponents try to defend his right side. His quick first step and jumping ability enable him to get by them.

Groh said he has enjoyed competing in three sports at West Valley and wouldn’t mind continuing in college.

He helped the Eagles to their first winning football season in nearly a decade and the track team to a fourth-place state finish. Going to state in basketball is the final goal of the WV senior.

There will come a time when the gifted athlete must make a decision about which sport to pursue. Nilles hopes it’s basketball.

“If Brad decides to spend all his hours doing that he’s going to take off,” said Nilles.

Leaving the past in his wake.