Senior Spotlight: JD Griffin has ‘a special purpose’

Editor’s note: This article is part of a recurring series on local high school athletes who had their seasons cut short or canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

SANDPOINT — Most graduates of the SHS class of 2020 are spending their summers working close to home as they prepare for the next milestone in life — college.

But not JD Griffin. He is spending his summer working as a deckhand for IslandView Resort and Charters in Sitka, Alaska.

JD departed about two weeks ago and has made the trip to Alaska the last three summers to fish for salmon, lingcod, halibut and rockfish.

The summer job is just one of the many interests JD has taken on over the course of his life.

“He doesn’t say no to trying anything,” his mom, Donna Griffin, said. “He is so proud of the things he does and he just doesn’t stop.”

Skiing, hunting, fishing and dirt bikes are just some of the many things that JD enjoys, but there are two activities in particular that hold a special place in his heart — lacrosse and flying.

About seven years ago, JD didn’t even know what a lacrosse stick looked like until a few of his friends on the Sandpoint Cutthroat Lacrosse team got him to show up for a couple practices. It was long before JD fell in love with the sport.

Donna said when her son becomes passionate about something, he attacks it and goes full throttle, and that’s certainly what he did on the lacrosse field.

Sandpoint lacrosse head coach Ken Hutchings has been working with JD since he started playing the sport and he said the SHS grad never let anything slow him down, even his size.

“He’s small in stature, but in his mind he’s 10 feet tall,” Hutchings said.

JD had a profound impact on Hutchings when they first met. Hutchings was caught off guard by his maturity and that JD already knew what he wanted to do for the rest of his life.

“He was extremely focused from a young age and he did not waver,” Hutchings said.

Donna shared a similar sentiment and said her son is knowledgeable beyond his years. She called him an “old soul.”

“It’s like he’s lived it and done it for years but he’s only 18 years old,” she said.

JD played attack and midfielder during his time on the Sandpoint lacrosse team, but really took on an attacking role for the Bulldogs once he reached high school.

The difficulty of the sport is what drew JD in. Lacrosse humbled him and taught him that he can persevere through anything he faces.

“There’s not a lot of sports out there that test you mentally and physically, it’s just really neat,” he said.

JD was a leader for the Bulldogs. He led the team in warm-ups and stretches throughout his career and he always had a great attitude, Hutchings said.

JD could take a hit from anybody and get right back up and Hutchings enjoyed watching him progress on the lacrosse field.

“It was just a pleasure to coach him because I could always count on JD,” Hutchings said. “He was fundamental to the success of the team.”

JD also played soccer his freshman year, but he gave it up because his summer job in Alaska prevented him from taking part in the practices during the summer.

The opportunity to work for IslandView came from a connection the family had with Kevin McNamee, who is the guide and owner of the resort. JD is thankful he took the offer to work for McNamee, but he admitted it’s been difficult at times being away from home for so long.

“I’ve just really learned that I can do some incredibly hard work and push through pain,” he said.

JD is heading to the University of Idaho in a few months and will join the school’s Navy ROTC program. He plans on studying civil engineering and hopes to be a fighter pilot in the Navy someday.

Donna said JD has expressed a desire to be a fighter pilot ever since he could talk. She remembers JD playing with aircraft carrier models as a kid and flying toy jets around the living room.

“Aviation has always been a big part of my life and a big fascination for me,” JD said. “I love everything about it.”

JD passed his written test for his pilot’s license prior to departing for Alaska this summer and he is just a few steps away from receiving it.

JD’s family has a history of being involved in aviation and the military and he wants to continue that tradition by serving his country.

JD has a deep admiration for the teachers at SHS that helped set him up for success down the road.

“I’m looking forward to wherever life takes me,” he said. “I know that I’m pretty adaptable, so if things go the way I have them planned out that’s great, if not I know I’ll find something to do.”

JD said his mom and dad, Gary, are his role models.

“I owe it all to them for all these doors that have opened because they’ve taught me to work hard and to take things with a grain of salt,” he said.

Donna said she has lived vicariously through JD’s adventures over the years and knows he has a bright future.

“I feel like we are so blessed that we get to be included in his life,” she said. “He’s got a special purpose in my mind ... and words can’t describe how proud we are of him.”

In his own words: JD Griffin

“Being raised in Sandpoint, Idaho, has afforded me opportunities and experiences that I could never have envisioned. Playing lacrosse for the past five years has been a significant part of my life. My coaches Ken Hutchings and Tom Whalen instilled comradery, discipline, and respect into their players, which has had a life-lasting effect on me. The outdoors has always been an enormous part of my life. Skiing, hunting, fishing, riding dirt bikes, and flying around Idaho has made me realize how blessed I am to live here. North Idaho is also full of incredible individuals with unique backgrounds. One of these outstanding individuals is Kevin McNamee, guide and owner of IslandView Resort and Charters in Sitka, Alaska. I have been very fortunate to work the past three summers in Sitka as Kevin’s deckhand. Deckhanding has strengthened me both mentally and physically, and it has built up my perseverance and work ethic. The support, lessons, and experiences that I have been afforded have helped me succeed academically, and I graduated with High Honors from Sandpoint High School this year. Ultimately, I want to express my gratitude to my loving and generous family, friends, coaches, teachers, and community.”