BleedGopher
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per Ameer:
Clay Geary has been with the Gophers football team for a long time. So long in fact, he outdates P.J. Fleck and his staff in regards to duration of time spent with the program.
“It’s been a long time coming,” said Geary, who enters his final season after being a redshirt freshman in 2016. “But it’s special to be able to gain all this experience and do it playing the game I love.”
Most college athletes do not get to play their chosen sport for seven years, but Geary – after receiving extra years of eligibility due the Covid-19 pandemic and injury – still displays an extraordinary level of passion, commitment and resilience for the game. So much so that he still has those pinch-me moments that he is still playing college football.
“If you had told me as a walk-on, redshirt freshman back in 2016 that I would still be here seven years later, I would not have believed you,” he said.
Geary is entering his seventh season as a contributor to the offense after missing the 2021 season due to a knee injury he suffered in preseason training camp. He relied heavily on his faith to help him overcome the injury and to power him through his winding journey these past seven years. He has used his many experiences while with the Gophers to help mold his mindset in a more resolved way.
“In hindsight, I wouldn’t change a thing about my journey,” he said. “I think with a lot of pain and suffering, you get to experience joy at the other end. And I feel faster than I did before I tore my ACL, which is a blessing. These journeys that we go through in life, they ultimately shape us to who we are. I am grateful for the adversity I have been through because it has allowed me to really mature and develop physically, emotionally and spiritually.”
The manner to which Geary has prepared his mindset heading into the 2022 season has evolved from where it might have been in past seasons.
“For me, the biggest thing is just centering my faith,” said the Lakeville, Minn., native. “Having that being the focus of all my preparation. If I don’t have that right first, how can I possibly expect to be the best player I can be? Football is just a tool for me to grow.”
gophersports.com
Go Gophers!!
Clay Geary has been with the Gophers football team for a long time. So long in fact, he outdates P.J. Fleck and his staff in regards to duration of time spent with the program.
“It’s been a long time coming,” said Geary, who enters his final season after being a redshirt freshman in 2016. “But it’s special to be able to gain all this experience and do it playing the game I love.”
Most college athletes do not get to play their chosen sport for seven years, but Geary – after receiving extra years of eligibility due the Covid-19 pandemic and injury – still displays an extraordinary level of passion, commitment and resilience for the game. So much so that he still has those pinch-me moments that he is still playing college football.
“If you had told me as a walk-on, redshirt freshman back in 2016 that I would still be here seven years later, I would not have believed you,” he said.
Geary is entering his seventh season as a contributor to the offense after missing the 2021 season due to a knee injury he suffered in preseason training camp. He relied heavily on his faith to help him overcome the injury and to power him through his winding journey these past seven years. He has used his many experiences while with the Gophers to help mold his mindset in a more resolved way.
“In hindsight, I wouldn’t change a thing about my journey,” he said. “I think with a lot of pain and suffering, you get to experience joy at the other end. And I feel faster than I did before I tore my ACL, which is a blessing. These journeys that we go through in life, they ultimately shape us to who we are. I am grateful for the adversity I have been through because it has allowed me to really mature and develop physically, emotionally and spiritually.”
The manner to which Geary has prepared his mindset heading into the 2022 season has evolved from where it might have been in past seasons.
“For me, the biggest thing is just centering my faith,” said the Lakeville, Minn., native. “Having that being the focus of all my preparation. If I don’t have that right first, how can I possibly expect to be the best player I can be? Football is just a tool for me to grow.”
Geary Gears Up For Seventh - And Final - Season in Maroon and Gold - University of Minnesota Athletics
Clay Geary has been with the Gophers football team for a long time. So long in fact, he outdates P.J. Fleck and his staff in regards to duration of t...
Go Gophers!!
