Greg Galloway officially commits to play football at Illinois State
OCONOMOWOC, Wis. (BVM) — On Nov. 10, Oconomowoc senior defensive end Greg Galloway announced via Twitter that he would be continuing his football career at Illinois State University next year.
Onto the next chapter 🤟🏾❤️ #redbirds pic.twitter.com/D3fWwF1utY
— Greg Galloway (@GregGalloway14) November 10, 2021
“Announcing my commitment felt surreal,” Galloway said. “Me, my friends and teammates have always talked about going D1 and going to the next level and now that it’s a reality, and knowing I have all of the same people with me who helped me to achieve that goal just feels amazing.”
It was an important milestone on a journey that began two years ago when Galloway joined the football team as a sophomore. He originally joined to help the Raccoons improve their standing within the competitive Classic 8 conference, but Galloway’s talents quickly opened the door to a college career after high school.
A basketball player first, Galloway made the decision to switch his focus to football and began receiving interest from Division I coaches. Illinois State was one of the first, but not the only one. However, in the end the Red Birds stayed at the top of the list for Galloway.
“The thing that made me want to commit to ISU was the campus and the coaches,” Galloway said. “The campus is beautiful and I feel it’s super well laid out for me and the coaches give that family feel. They showed me they really care not just about me, but my family as well and they show how much they care about their team as well.”
And then a visit to Illinois State for its game against NDSU made Galloway certain that he wanted to be a Redbird next year. Even though Illinois State lost, the atmosphere was amazing and the coaches, including head coach Brock Spack, made Galloway, his dad and his brother feel like they were a part of the team.
With the decision made, the future Redbird can just focus on his senior year of basketball and preparing for Illinois State next year.
“Now that the decision is done, really none of the hard work has stopped … The weight of having to think about the next step is off my shoulders,” Galloway said. “Now it’s just time to have fun but still work my butt off in the classroom, in the weight room, and on the field or court.”
Galloway’s hard work has been there from the very beginning and it is the reason why he was able to achieve the goal he had originally set out to accomplish when he joined the football team. The Raccoons finished 5-5 this season and 3-4 in conference play, including a huge win over Muskego back in September.
The 6-foot-3 defensive end led the team in tackles for loss (15) and sacks (3) while his solo tackles (36) and total tackles (70) were third best for the Raccoons. He was also named to the WFCA All-Region team.
“I do feel like I have left my mark,” Galloway said. “I’ve always pushed myself to be the greatest person, teammate, leader and athlete I can be day in and day out and that’s definitely paid off. From the underclassman feeling comfortable enough to come up to me and ask me for advice on and off the field to the younger kids yelling ‘Greg! Hey Greg,’ and then interacting with them, I feel like I’ve left my mark in a very positive way.”
It’s a feeling that goes both ways, as Galloway constantly credits all the people around him who have helped him on his journey. As much as he has tried to leave a mark on Oconomowoc, Oconomowoc has left a mark on him, too.
“I really want to thank my family, friends, teachers, coaches and teammates,” Galloway said. “Not a single thing I’ve done or will do would be possible without the support of all of them and I don’t think I can thank any one of them enough.”
Galloway will carry that with him to Normal, Ill. next year and with any luck, he will have the same effect on the Redbirds as he has had on the Raccoons.
