Grant Sirlin ’16 Transforms Athletic Training
At Staples, Grant Sirlin was a 2-year varsity soccer player (and state champion skier).
Now — as a 1st year student at the University of Virginia — he’s using his sports background and business courses to revolutionize sports training for kids. And for college athletes too.
Sirlin has teamed up with longtime friend/UVa classmate/Wrecker basketball captain/former freshman soccer player Jared Vishno to form Division 1-On-1. The goal of the cleverly named company is to provide specialized training for youngsters, while allowing college athletes to make money doing something they love.
They use an online platform (click here) to link each Division I athlete with each boy or girl. Sirlin and Vishno received NCAA approval for the concept — no easy task.
With a solid business plan, Division 1-On-1 won the “concept” phase of UVa’s annual Entrepreneurship Cup. That helped them meet influential entrepreneurs, and helped them sign up a number of Cavalier athletes.
They’ve also taken advantage of Works in Progress, a program sponsored by UVa’s Department of Engineering and Society that supports aspiring entrepreneurs.
Sirlin is not a D-I athlete himself. But thanks to Division 1-On -1, he’s providing training for boys and girls who may one day be those athletes — while helping D-I athletes at his school earn money.
That’s a championship idea for sure!
Grant Sirlin in action. (Photo/MaryGrace Gudis)
