Nathan Grenon grew up playing lacrosse with the Nepean Knights here in Ottawa. Born in Nova Scotia, Grenon’s father was in the military, which brought his family to Ottawa in 2008. Since then, he has called Stittsville his home. Despite spending the majority of his life here, Grenon never would have imagined he would one day be playing lacrosse for his hometown’s team. “It was kind of a shock,” says Grenon when asked about the Black Bears’ relocation to Ottawa. “It didn’t seem like I was going to get to play because I was with Albany, and then when the trade happened, it didn’t really hit me right away.”
Grenon was acquired by the Black Bears via trade this summer. When he first heard the news, it didn’t sink in right away. Now, he speaks of the excitement that comes with playing in arena he spent his childhood at attending games as a fan. “To be going there and playing in a professional organization, hearing the roar of the crowd, it creates an excitement that I can’t really put a finger on what it’s going to be like. There are definitely some butterflies and nerves that come with playing at home, but I think it all adds to the excitement.”
Even before he was acquired by the Black Bears, Grenon’s parents became Season Seat Members for the team. “That’s what their mindset was. They were so happy and excited that they got a lacrosse team, my parents took it upon themselves,” recalls Grenon.
Grenon highlights the community that lacrosse brings as a sport, an aspect he values. He recently started his own health and wellness company, Grenon Tactical Health and Wellness, with which he visits local schools to give children lacrosse lessons. It’s through these visits that Grenon sees one such example of the community that lacrosse brings.
“We’re so diverse. I always ask kids who’s held a stick, who’s seen lacrosse, who’s played, who’s heard of it. Some of these kids have no idea, never touched a stick. I have kids coming up to me and asking, ‘Where can I play this?’ afterwards,” Grenon says with a smile. “To see Ottawa having such a diverse community already and then bringing them into the lacrosse world, just to see the excitement and love they get from it, seeing that on their faces was just a new feeling that I’ve never experienced before.”
Alongside his health and wellness company, Grenon also works as a porter at the Queensway Carleton Hospital. It’s a job that consists of long hours, often overnight, but that’s no problem for Grenon. Having balanced lacrosse and school his entire life, he has become a master of time management.
“It’s about having a good support system and keeping level-headed,” says Grenon. “Understanding and knowing that when you wake up every day, if you do something that’s not going to put you ahead, at the end of the day you kind of feel behind, down, or that you didn’t accomplish as much as you wanted to do. As many days I can to not feel like that at the end, it’s a win. Especially going into this season, when you can string together a bunch of personal wins, then you’re starting to feel good going into the season. It transfers into your play. I think managing, making sure I’m keeping my body in shape and recovered, as well as still staying out in the community and getting the work that I need to do done.”
Grenon has an advantage many players do not. Playing in his hometown gives him the benefit of not having to travel in for games and having his friends and family close by. “I’ll have the home-cooked meal to go back to if I really need it,” Grenon says. For him, a home-cooked meal consists of a medium-rare steak with potato and asparagus cooked by his mom.
“I’m used to everything around, I know what’s nearby, the people,” says Grenon when asked about the advantages of living in town. “Coming in, not having the bus legs, is pretty key. Going home after the games and not getting on the plane at 6am, the recovery on the body is definitely a lot better.”
It won’t be long now before Grenon makes his hometown debut in the Black Bears’ inaugural home opener on November 29. Just a week away, tickets to the 7 p.m. ET matchup against the Toronto Rock are available HERE for purchase.
