Christian Sopkowiak/Winonan

Dream jobs are hard to come by. Jobs that you look forward to getting up every day for are even harder to find. Once and a while, you meet someone who finds it.

Grant Wall, who has been Winona State University’s sports information director for the last four years, is one of these people. “It’s everything I could have asked for out of a job. I have loved every part of it. I mean, I am getting paid to sit courtside at athletic events,” Wall said.

Wall’s job as the sports information director entails various parts of Warrior athletics and of the local media.

“There are a lot of different aspects to my job. Making sure that all the information gets to the media, facilitating interview requests, keeping track of the sports statistics and making sure that the website is up to date. It’s a lot of different hats that you get to wear, but they are fun hats,” Wall said.

Wall’s passion for sports and media has always been apparent.

He graduated from Iowa State in 2007 with a journalism degree. He began working for a newspaper but decided that he didn’t want to do that for the rest of his life.

In a swing of fate, Wall went back to Iowa State and got offered a job in athletic information.

“It was fantastic. I loved every part of it. And then this position opened up I applied for it and got an interview. And the rest is history,” Wall said.

Wall’s history with his love for sports is one that many sports fans can relate to. There were years in which Wall thought he would play professional baseball or basketball, and while that didn’t work out, he took his love for sports elsewhere.

“I wrote for the Iowa State newspaper, but I wanted to be involved in the athletics department somehow,” Wall said.

“I’ve always known that I wanted to work in athletics. It’s ingrained in you, you know? You love the competition, you love game day, and I always wanted to be in that field somehow.”

Wall is extremely thankful that he found a job that fulfills both of his passions: sports and writing. He is also thankful for the people he has met along the way.

Winona State’s athletic director Eric Schoh said, “Pre-game press releases to post-game wrap ups. That is what Grant does. He put pre-game notes out for everyone on our website just the other day, and he does a great job.”

Along with the athletic department, Wall also has enjoyed getting to know the student athletes.

“Being able to build relationships with them is awesome. They are so energetic and excited about what they are doing and it rubs off on you, you know. I love to watch them grow.”

Ever since he arrived in Winona, Wall has become extremely passionate about Winona, both the city and the college.

“I came to Winona State not knowing a lot about the university and the area. And in less than four years I have grown to really love this place. And right now is a great time to be a Warrior. I mean we are successful on the field, but we are also churning out really good students and citizens. And I am glad to play whatever little part I can in that.”

Contact Christian at [email protected]