Hard work at St. Andrew’s College pays off with a full football scholarship to Division 1 school
It’s never too late in the day to talk football with Eddie Meredith.
That explains why the Davisville native is so eager to talk about his full scholarship to Boston College at 10 p.m. on a March schoolnight.
While most teens are trying to catch up on sleep, he’s just getting home from gridiron practice.
“I’m incredibly excited,” he said of his future with a school that has produced plenty of NFLers at his offensive line position.
His success is a testament to hard work and being surrounded by great people — like his parents, Meredith said.
“It’s been a dream come true.”
Hard work, indeed. There was a learning curve three years ago when Meredith switched from defender of the net to defender of the quarterback.
“I was a goalie and I wasn’t the greatest athlete so hockey wasn’t my passion anymore,” he said, admitting he fell out of love with the sport he played for most of his life.
Looking to make the jump from ice to turf, Meredith sought out Metro Wildcats.
“My first practice with Metro was really fun even though I was so clueless,” he said with a chuckle.
After a season of introduction to the sport, he sought out a high school to further his career in high school football.
The choice was 35 kilometres north of his midtown home, CISAA school St. Andrew’s College.
“It was kind of an odd thing because I had to overcome the idea of boarding,” he said. “Which at first I was like, ‘No way’ because I never liked summer camps.
“I liked being around my parents because my dad is one heck of a cook,” he said. “And I eat a lot.”
That comes naturally for a 6’5” guard, and it will be encouraged when he joins the Maroon and Gold.
As for Meredith’s parents, dad Allen is candid about the fact he and mom Debby Smith will miss him.
“He’s lived with us for a little over 18 years and the last three years he’s been at St. Andrew’s,” Allen said. “There’s every possibility for the next five years he’ll be back for only two weeks out of the year.
“At times I’ve said to him, ‘Look you can always go to U of T’,” he added, with a laugh. “He’ll usually say something rude to me.”
The younger Meredith must now also decide on a course of study. He’s split between business and liberal arts.
“Passion wise, I’m really a history guy. History is sort of that one thing — it’s not work to me,” he said. “(But) I have a bit of a knack for business.
“You have to look really carefully at these things because you really have only one shot, or one first shot, I suppose.”
As for plans of CFL or NFL after university, Meredith is pragmatic.
“First thing’s first, education is what I’m going to Boston College for,” he said. “I may play only four more years of football while my education will last me the rest of my life.”