Loyalty has always meant a lot to Greens Farms Academy girls basketball player Georgia Grabowski.
She comes from a strong, tight-knit family of athletes and she leaned on loyalty quite a bit as it came time to decide where she would be playing basketball after graduating from GFA.
In the end, it was Ithaca College that won out, and Grabowski plans on suiting up for the Bombers next fall.
“Before the pandemic started, I was talking to a lot of schools regularly and I really liked them, but the bond I had with Ithaca was a little stronger,” Grabowski said. “Even during the pandemic, he was the only coach still calling me to make sure I was still interested in playing there.”
The only stumbling block to her final decision was location.
“I wasn’t sure I wanted to go to upstate New York,” she said. “I always wanted to go south.”
Once she was able to meet some of her future teammates, though, Grabowski realized that the loyalty Ithaca was showing her as a recruit was the game-changer.
“They made me feel really comfortable and all the girls were just so nice,” she said. “It just felt like a good fit so I went the Ithaca route.”
Grabowski has been a three-year starter at GFA. Last winter, while helping lead the Dragons to a 24-3 record and a trip to the NEPSAC Class C semifinals, she averaged 11.4 points and 3.4 rebounds a game.
"Coming to GFA as a freshman, she made an immediate impact on the program, not only because of her skill, but also because of the joy she brought to the team," GFA coach Jen Harris said. "She is always smiling and happy to be with her teammates, making it impossible to not love being around her and playing with her. Georgia has put in an incredible amount of time and work during off-seasons to up her game, making her one of the best shooters in both the FAA and NEPSAC conferences. The program will greatly miss Georgia next year, but we're so proud that her dedication and love of the sport are going to continue with Ithaca College."
Grabowski was actually ready to attend another high school when GFA appeared on her radar thanks to the recommendation of a family friend. She admits her decision to attend the Beachside Avenue school sent her on a different trajectory.
“It changed my life,” Grabowski said. “I had no idea what Greens Farms Academy was or where it was. At the last minute I visited, and I really liked the school and wanted to go here. Now, I love this school and I love the people here.”
Grabowski is now ready for the challenge of the next level.
“Once I stepped on the Ithaca campus, I knew I belonged there,” she said.
She’s always had an interest in architecture, so Grabowski is going to Ithaca to get involved in their exploratory program, which includes an Architectural Studies field.
“I’ve always had an interest in it,” Grabowski said. “I love houses, I love buildings, so I want to do something with that.”