Most individuals acknowledge Rob Gronkowski, the previous NFL star who gained a number of Tremendous Bowls, together with one alongside his youngest brother, Glenn, once they achieved the largest comeback in historical past towards the Atlanta Falcons. Many are additionally accustomed to his different two brothers, Dan and Chris, from their NFL careers or appearances on exhibits like Shark Tank, Household Feud, and Nickelodeon. Nevertheless, what’s much less recognized is that one Gronkowski brother selected a distinct sports activities path, following a singular journey of his personal.
Gronk Brothers (Picture courtesy of Gronk Health Merchandise)
Gordie Gronkowski Jr., the oldest (and tallest) Gronk bro, performed skilled baseball.
After being drafted by the Los Angeles Angels within the 2006 MLB Draft out of Jacksonville College in Florida, he spent three seasons within the Minor Leagues, reaching as excessive as A-ball. Nevertheless, a recurring decrease again damage finally led to the ultimate three years of his profession in unbiased skilled baseball.
Gordie Gronkowski of the Southern Illinois Miners stepping as much as bat towards Rockford August tenth, 2011 at Lease One Park. (Picture courtesy of Steve Jahnke and The Southern)
I not too long ago met Gordie on the Arnold Health Expo in Columbus, Ohio, the place he was representing his household’s firm, G&G Health Gear, which he co-owns together with his brothers and Dad. Not solely is the corporate one of many largest distributors of health tools within the U.S., however they’ve additionally launched their very own line of health gear.
Are you able to guess what it’s known as? That’s proper—Gronk Health Gear. The model affords a variety of high-quality exercise tools, together with Industrial & residence health tools, power coaching gear, equipment, Chilly Plunges, Saunas, and so on.
Once I talked about indy ball, Gordie’s eyes immediately lit up. You possibly can all the time inform when a participant really loves the sport and cherished his expertise. Anybody can love the lavish way of life of the NFL, however it takes a complete different sort of individual to play on the earth of unbiased baseball. There are host household homes as an alternative of mansions and concession stand put up recreation spreads as an alternative of five-star meals.
So sit again, seize your favourite chilly beverage in your Ice Shaker (as seen on Shark Tank and based by the Gronkowski brothers!) and revel in getting a glance into the world of Gordie Gronkowski Jr., the baseball bro.
Soccer is in your DNA… what was it about baseball that drew you in as an alternative of soccer?
Because the oldest brother, and despite the fact that my dad was a 4 12 months starter at Syracuse on a full scholarship for soccer, I simply by no means actually had the perspective or the psychological toughness on the time. Being born and raised in Buffalo, New York, when you play sports activities, you’re often a 3 sport athlete. I had a ardour for baseball, hockey and basketball. With baseball, I went to the Little League World Sequence twice after I was 12 and 15 years previous. Although I used to be a very good athlete in Buffalo, that didn’t imply something going towards the beasts down in Florida.
I’m assuming as huge into health as you all are, that residence exercises have been undoubtedly distinguished. Rising up, did you do the identical exercises as your brothers despite the fact that you performed totally different sports activities?
Rising up with 4 youthful brothers had a huge impact on me. My father taught us the significance of understanding and utilizing correct type, guiding us via high-rep, light-weight workouts. At first, I wasn’t significantly motivated to work out, however my brother Dan, who is definitely two years youthful than me, had an actual ardour for health and the fitness center. Our highschool’s health tools was in horrible form on the time, so our father constructed a stupendous fitness center downstairs in our home. Dan started excelling in all my varsity sports activities groups, gaining power, muscle, and weight in such a wholesome, optimistic method. Watching him made me wish to catch as much as him. Sure, you learn that proper—I discovered myself making an attempt to maintain up with my youthful brother, Dan. With out my youthful brothers I probably wouldn’t have made it the place I did with skilled sports activities and probably faculty sports activities.
How did you find yourself in indy ball after getting launched from the minors?
I used to be significantly contemplating strolling away from baseball after one other again damage required me to undergo rehab as soon as once more. After my third 12 months within the minor leagues, having already undergone one surgical procedure, I used to be prepared to provide it up. However then I received a name from John Massarelli, who advised me a few new unbiased baseball staff within the Frontier League, with a brand-new stadium being constructed simply outdoors of Cleveland, Ohio, in Avon. As a northern boy, I had by no means performed near residence, close to my childhood family and friends, so this chance felt totally different. I additionally didn’t wish to go away the sport of baseball realizing that an damage could be the explanation I needed to stroll away. I labored arduous to rehab and earn one other probability to play. Even throughout spring coaching, I handled some tightness, however I saved it to myself, decided to push via and get again on the sector to play on the excessive degree I used to be use to acting at.
I used to be extremely lucky to remain wholesome and play a complete season, and that staff turned the primary inaugural staff to ever win a championship. The help from the followers was nothing in need of wonderful, and the turnout at every recreation was really inspiring. It was every part I had hoped for after I got here again—being wholesome, reaching a championship, and sharing the expertise with unbelievable individuals who understood what I had gone via. However what meant much more to me than successful the championship was being acknowledged by the complete league for my neighborhood service. I used to be honored to obtain the Fran Riordan Citizenship Award. What many individuals don’t know is that Fran is definitely from Buffalo, NY as nicely, which felt like an unbelievable connection.
Gordy Sr with Gordie Jr in Avon, OH with the Lake Erie Crushers throughout Gordy’s first season of indy ball. (Picture courtesy of Gordie)
Why did you select to go that route as an alternative of simply getting again to the “actual world”?
I knew that baseball wasn’t a sport that paid a lot, particularly when returning to Indy baseball, and I understood I wouldn’t be making a lot cash. Whereas I had different alternatives ready for me, there was one thing deep inside me that I couldn’t let go of. I wasn’t happy with the way in which I needed to stroll away from the sport as a consequence of an damage, particularly in any case the hassle, time, and numerous hours I had devoted to the game through the years.
What was your favourite place in indy ball and is there any particular cause(s)?
I really cherished my time enjoying for the Lake Erie Crushers and Southern Illinois Miners. The followers have been extremely supportive and engaged, creating such a optimistic, welcoming environment. I used to be grateful to play beneath my coaches, John Massarelli and Mike Pinto, who really believed in me. The stadiums have been model new, and day-after-day I stepped onto the sector, I felt like I used to be precisely the place I used to be meant to be. However greater than something, it was my teammates who impressed me essentially the most. I didn’t wish to allow them to down, and their help pushed me to be one of the best model of myself each single day on the sector.
What have been a few of your favourite experiences or tales from indy ball?
There’s all the time going to be so many tales. You possibly can’t inform all of them,
and a few most likely shouldn’t be advised, however a whole lot of occasions when the staff was again on the resort once they all left the stadium, we performed jokes with their jerseys and pranks on opposing groups and so on., I all the time thought it was hilarious when a rookie would go as much as bat and we might change their stroll up track. For instance “I’m a Barbie Lady”, or “Child Shark”. It not solely made it as awkward as doable for the batter however received the followers laughing and the power up.
However by far, coming collectively and successful a championship in Lake Erie as an inaugural staff of a bunch of misfits from all around the world was my favourite expertise. I do know it doesn’t imply lots to most individuals, however on the time, it meant the world to me and to town of Avon, Ohio. I additionally did say in my first ever Cleveland information article “We’d win a championship for town earlier than Lebron.” Simply saying.
Gordie celebrating a Sport 4 playoff victory with teammates in Lake Erie. (Picture courtesy of Nate Parsons and the Morning Journal)
Your former supervisor in Southern Illinois, Mike Pinto, talked about how a lot enjoyable you have been to have within the clubhouse and that you simply have been all the time so “HYPED.” Former Curshers teammate, Andrew Davis, mentioned you all the time had a lot power. How did you keep so hyped and devoted to indy ball when it’s such a grinder way of life?
I believe the grit and dedication I developed rising up with my 4 youthful brothers—all the time striving to be one of the best and lead by instance—turned a mindset that was instilled in me. Trying again on how far I’ve come, it actually hits residence. From being just a little child in Buffalo, NY, enjoying in entrance of simply 20-30 folks a recreation, to stepping onto the sector at Jacksonville College, enjoying in entrance of a whole lot generally hundreds, and finally enjoying skilled baseball throughout the US—that’s what I think about making it. It was the journey of a Buffalo child who walked on to earn a full scholarship, was named freshman participant of the 12 months, gained the first-ever convention freshman MVP on the convention event, and was finally named staff captain in my senior 12 months—issues that nobody, together with myself, most likely thought I might obtain. Regardless of how many individuals we performed in entrance of, I all the time knew there was at the very least one individual cheering me on, and that’s all I wanted. If I might encourage only one individual to be higher or assist them attain their objectives of enjoying, that’s what baseball really meant to me
How did you make the choice to hold up the cleats?
After we gained the championship in Lake Erie, which was now my 2nd skilled championship Ring after the Ring we gained for LA Angels Orem Owls in my 2nd 12 months, I really felt like I had completed every part I wanted to emotionally and mentally, and I used to be at peace with shifting on from baseball. I had given every part I might to the sport, and in return, it had given a lot to me. The one cause I saved enjoying for 2 extra years was the prospect to play skilled baseball within the Metropolis of Boston with the Worcester Tornadoes within the Can-Am League, proper subsequent to my brother, Rob, who had been drafted by the New England Patriots on the time. Though it wasn’t the identical expertise as I had in Lake Erie, and regardless of main the staff in hitting, they traded me. I went on to play two extra years with the Gateway Grizzlies and the Southern Illinois Miners within the Frontier League, however I might inform my physique and thoughts weren’t the place they wanted to be. That’s when you realize it’s time to stroll away. However what I’m grateful for is that I used to be capable of go away the sport alone phrases… on prime! (That’s what she mentioned).
After baseball, you transitioned to working within the health world. What function do you play at Gronk Health now?
I’m at the moment a co-owner and a Industrial Account Supervisor primarily based out of Boston. We design and ship health tools all through the northeast.
There’s nothing extra fulfilling than serving to others obtain their health objectives and galvanizing them to dwell more healthy, happier lives. That sense of pleasure and objective is similar feeling I skilled after I was on the baseball discipline.
Has your expertise in indy ball helped you with Gronk Health now? Have you ever carried over any qualities from that point in proball?
My expertise in minor league baseball has helped me tremendously transition into the true world. Baseball taught me lead by instance. I used to be by no means that man who was going to encourage you by providing you with loopy speeches. I used to be somebody who was going to assist encourage and information a staff via arduous work by speaking and galvanizing others to be one of the best. Baseball is a recreation of self-discipline and failure. While you go one for 3, you’re a Corridor of Famer, which is loopy to consider as a result of in virtually every other sport that a lot failure would get you launched or lower.
The psychological toughness it’s a must to have in baseball is what has actually helped me with work. Whether or not it was me hanging out or making a foul play, you needed to have the flexibility to bounce again from setbacks and keep a optimistic mindset, each of that are completely essential in enterprise as nicely. Main failures and challenges are all simply part of the journey, and it’s all about the way you reply..
Is there the rest you wish to inform the world about Gronk Health?
At G&G Health and Gronk Health, we’re greater than only a health firm; we’re a motion. Born from the imaginative and prescient of athletes who really perceive the ability of health, our mission is to assist remodel lives. Whether or not you’re a seasoned athlete or simply starting your health journey, our merchandise are designed to fulfill your wants and exceed your expectations. With Gronk Health, you’re not simply investing in tools—you’re becoming a member of a neighborhood that values integrity, authenticity, and the relentless pursuit of health excellence. That’s why it carries the GRONK title.
I simply wish to personally thank Gordie for taking the outing of his busy schedule each on the Arnold and afterwards to speak indy ball and assist me share his story with our readers.
If you’re desirous about any merchandise that carry the Gronkowski title, you possibly can take a look at the next hyperlinks:
