By Joshua Boyd / USPHLPremier.com
Grant Parshall came out of his hometown Wheeling, W.V., to begin his USPHL Premier career in 2021-22. Two years later, he’s ready to embark on another new adventure, as he will join the King’s College Monarchs for an NCAA hockey career to begin this fall.
Parshall has played in 49 regular season Premier games, scoring 56 points along the way in the regular season, plus six points in seven playoff matches. Much of that came in this 2023-24 season with the Tampa Bay Juniors, where he put up 43 points in 34 games while serving as Team Captain. He earned votes from coaches around the Florida Division to make him a USPHL All-Star this year, as well.
“Before visiting King’s College in April, I didn’t know where I wanted to end up playing collegiate hockey. However, after seeing the campus and meeting various members of the faculty, the hockey team, and the coaching staff, it was an easy decision. King’s has a great business program, and they care about what my life will look like after school,” said Parshall. “On top of that, the smaller class sizes will allow for a better connection with my teachers. The facilities at the rink are great, and will help further my development. The hockey program is filled with great coaches and players, and will be returning a large amount of the team. I like the culture they have built there, and it’s something I look forward to embracing.”
He is also grateful to Tampa Bay Juniors owner Brett Strot, his brother and Head Coach of the Juniors Garrett Strot, and all of the Juniors staff.
“The Strots and everyone involved in the Tampa Bay Juniors organization have helped me grow as a person and as a hockey player. There’s truly no place like TBJ in junior hockey. Our team was the most tight-knit group I’ve ever been a part of, and it showed on the ice. It felt like a family in Tampa, which is why I’ll never forget the time I spent there,” Parshall added. “On the hockey side, we had great development on and off the ice. The speed work and mental training we did at TBJ was something that will stick with me for the rest of my hockey career. The organization was professionally run, so it gave me a glimpse of how hard I’ll have to work at the next level.”
Parshall is happy that he spent three seasons in the USPHL Premier, and felt that the league’s dedication to its teams, players and advancement, especially through the unmatched USPHL Showcase Series, helped him immensely in making his NCAA commitment.
“Playing in three seasons in the Premier allowed me to grow as a person and as a teammate. Seeing my role change over the years is something that will help me transition to college hockey. Playing in multiple showcases allowed me to test my game in front of colleges,” added Parshall. “It can be stressful playing in front of a list of schools, but it taught me to play my own game and everything will work out. Overall, I’ll never forget my journey through junior hockey.”
Next up is a lot of on-and off-ice work through the summer to prepare for the NCAA collegiate game.
“I want to come into my freshman year in great physical shape, working to get stronger and faster. At the next level, everyone is bigger and can run faster, and I don’t want to come in unprepared. My goal is to gain some weight and maintain the speed I developed in Tampa,” he said. “However, I also want to work on the mental side of the game. It’s a long season filled with a full class and hockey schedule. The ability to stay mentally sharp on the ice is something I’m working towards as well.”
The USPHL congratulates Grant Parshall, his family, the Tampa Bay Juniors and King’s College for his commitment.
