Jaz Goundry came through the ranks as an apprentice at Grimsby Town between 2019 and 2021, earning a professional contract with the Mariners at the end of his scholarship. But now, at just 22, the former central defender has made the bold decision to step away from the game to focus on a growing coaching career and pursue his ambitions in triathlon.
LFE recently visited his base in Mansfield to explore the thinking behind his sliding doors decision to hang up his boots and begin a new chapter away from football.
Football wasn’t at the forefront of Goundry’s mind growing up. As a teenager, he tried his hand at many different sports, with football being just another hobby. “I liked kicking a ball around, but I never really took it seriously,” Goundry told LFE. “I did some boxing and played a bit of rugby too, but it got to the point where I didn’t really have time for all of them, so I chose to focus on football from about 13 or 14 onwards.”
“I was a very late developer as a footballer. I was just a bit of a brute, to be honest, and at grassroots level I’d try to use my size to my advantage and impose myself on opponents in that way – and it worked. It wasn’t until I got a bit older that I became more confident in my technical ability, and that began to improve.”
Goundry’s first experience of a professional environment came when he was invited on trial at Chesterfield – and with it came his first taste of disappointment. “I was given a six-week trial there and, at the end of it, they pretty much told me that I wasn’t what they were looking for. They also said I was overweight at the time, and that stuck with me. It gave me a bit between my teeth and the motivation to go and prove them wrong.”
The young defender eventually went on to join Sheffield United’s Community Foundation college programme. It was this decision that led to his first big break in the game. “I was only a few weeks into the programme when another defender and I were asked to play in a pre-season game at Preston for the academy team. I held my own and got through the game, but I was absolutely knackered! I remember feeling completely out of my depth in that sense. They saw something they liked, though, and I ended up being invited back for a trial.”
Off the back of his trial, Grimsby Town showed interest, and he went on to sign a scholarship with the Lincolnshire club. “I went into my first year just playing catch-up, really. I found it a struggle to get up to speed, but as the year went on, I got fitter and fitter and began to settle.”
Discussing his first year at the Mariners in greater detail, Goundry admits that joining the academy system at a later age than most made his transition from grassroots football even tougher. “It was difficult, and I think the club could see that. But I also think they signed me for my potential rather than for the player I was at the time. I was a left-footed centre-back, which is a bit of a rarity, and I think they liked the idea of the player I could grow into.
“The youth team manager at the time was big on running and making sure everyone was really fit. I remember doing all these running drills in pre-season, feeling absolutely knackered, and then going straight into technical drills where I could barely move my legs. That definitely made me realise the level the rest of the lads were operating at, and that I needed to really graft if I wanted to reach it.
“I can honestly say I got the run-around a few times when I first went in! I did a lot of work on my own away from the club to get myself fit and find the sharpness I needed to compete in academy football.”
And compete he did. After a challenging period of adaptation in his first year, Goundry kicked on in his second season and earned himself a professional contract at the end of it. “It felt big,” he admits. “To be honest, there was probably an element of doubt from outsiders and maybe even some people within the club that I’d get a pro. I had my own doubts too, as I picked up quite a bad injury a few weeks before we got our decisions.
“I was training with the first team and went flying into a tackle trying to impress the coaches, and I tore my hamstring – a grade three tear. That put me out for the last six weeks of the season, and I knew I’d miss all of the off-season as well, which killed me. I thought that was me done.
“The relief I felt when I walked into the office, and the first-team manager offered me a deal was incredible. I think I earned it, though. I put so much into my second year as an apprentice.”
After returning from injury, Goundry enjoyed a positive pre-season with the first-team squad. However, the young, hungry defender was realistic about his chances of getting minutes in the upcoming season and pushed for a loan move. “I knew I wasn’t really going to play for the first team when the season started, despite having a good pre-season. They had just been relegated to the National League, and their sole focus was to go straight back up.
“I was desperate to go out on loan and prove myself. I went to Frickley first for a month and then moved to Bridlington, which was a better move for me at the time. I loved it there, and that was the move that really kick-started my career in men’s football.
“Halfway through the season, Matlock came in for me. Considering they were in a higher league; Grimsby were keen for me to go and test myself further. Matlock was my first real taste of proper non-league football. I had some good moments there, but it didn’t really work out for me in the long run. Because of the division they were in, the away games were really far, and it involved a lot of travelling. I’d just passed my driving test as well, so I wasn’t too confident with all the miles I had to cover.
“I eventually finished the season with Grimsby Borough and really enjoyed my time there.”
Goundry went into the second and final year of his deal at Grimsby eager to impress once again, but a head injury sustained during pre-season kept him out for a prolonged period. “It was a pretty nasty one. It kept me out for a good three or four months. After that, I knew I was coming to the end of my time at Grimsby. To be honest, I was fine with that – I think I was ready for a change.
“At the end of that season, when the manager eventually informed me that I wasn’t getting a new contract, it felt like a huge sense of relief surged through my body. Even the manager said, ‘You look relieved,’ and I told him I was. I was ready to go and chase my dream elsewhere.”
In the aftermath of his departure from the League Two club, and while continuing to ply his trade in non-league, Goundry launched his own football coaching business – a decision that would eventually leave him with a difficult choice to make. “The business grew pretty rapidly within that first year after leaving Grimsby, and it quickly started to feel difficult to balance it with my own football. All the travelling to games and training sessions became very time-consuming.
“I wanted to give my all to the business, and I think it’s super important to do that, especially right at the very beginning. Sometimes other things have to take a back seat, and as time went on, I began to feel that I might have to choose between the two sooner rather than later.”
It was in the following season, after joining Stocksbridge Park Steels, that Goundry made the decision to put all of his eggs in one basket. “It was a club and a manager that I really wanted to play for, if I’m honest. They were Step Three as well, one below the National League North, so that was a big factor in me going there.
“However, after a few games, I realised that with my business commitments, it just wasn’t going to work long term. I gave the manager a call one weekend and told him that I’d play for as long as he needed me, as I know it’s not ideal for him if I were to leave midway through the season, but I wanted to call it a day.
“It wasn’t fair on him or the rest of the lads for me to be there and not fully invested. I made the decision to retire and go all in on the business – it just felt like the right decision. That’s not to say it’s a permanent retirement; you never know what might happen in the future, but for now I’m happy with that decision.”
The Grimsby Town Academy graduate’s business, ‘Player Performance UK’, has grown exponentially over the past 12 to 18 months, even picking up an award for ‘Best Start-Up Business 2025’ at a local Mansfield awards ceremony. “We currently coach over 250 kids in the local area, and that number is continuing to grow. I’m really pleased with how well everything has gone so far.”
Goundry hadn’t given coaching much thought until he was forced to find a job after his departure from Grimsby, insisting he originally gave it a go simply to earn some money. “In truth, I never envisaged myself becoming a coach. We did the UEFA C Licence during the apprenticeship at Grimsby, and I did enjoy it, but nothing more than that.
“When I left the club, I started doing a bit for someone I know, just to earn some money while I searched for a new club. I quickly realised that it was something I could definitely see myself doing long term, I loved it. After a few months, I decided to go all in on it and launch my own business.”
The 22-year-old now owns his own indoor football facility in the Mansfield area, where he hosts all of his coaching sessions for children of all ages. “There are hundreds of kids in Mansfield who dream of one day becoming a professional footballer, and my job is to help them improve – but more importantly, to help them enjoy it, because that’s the main thing.
“We start with kids as young as four and five; they’re what we call our minis. With them, it’s really just about giving them an introduction to the game, teaching them the very basics, and all in all, providing a place where they can come, have fun, and meet new friends. They’re always full of energy, and the sessions are really fun and enjoyable.
“With the older ones, the sessions are a lot more technically based. They’re for kids from around seven or eight years old all the way up to teenagers aged 16 and above. With these players, it’s about focusing on specific details in their game that they want to improve, and helping them feel ready for trials, academies, and men’s football.
“We also provide mindset sessions, because, as we all know, football is as much about mindset as it is about technical ability. I’m fortunate enough to know people who still play at a high level, so sometimes we invite them to come and talk to the kids. I want to help them in all aspects of their lives, not just in their footballing development.”
Having been out of the professional game and fully invested in his business for a couple of years now, Goundry is adamant that seeing the kids he coaches flourish goes some way towards replicating the buzz he used to get as a player. “That feeling I used to get from making a tackle or scoring a goal – this definitely gives me that feeling to a certain degree. It’s so rewarding seeing a kid progress, maybe go on to sign for an academy, or getting a message from their parents at the weekend saying they’ve scored in their local grassroots match. It’s amazing.
“Of course, I miss playing sometimes – that’s natural – but this is one hundred percent the next best thing for me. This doesn’t feel like work; it’s a passion that I get to enjoy every day. I can honestly say that, day to day, I’m probably the happiest I’ve ever been in my life.”
Alongside his coaching endeavours, Goundry is passionate about fitness and is currently training for his first IRONMAN – one of the most demanding endurance challenges in the world. “I first discovered a passion for running while I was still playing football. I’d often go for runs on Sundays, but I soon came to the realisation that it’s pretty counterproductive to go on a long run the day after a game!
“As soon as I stopped playing football, I wanted to find something to keep me focused and locked in, so I decided to throw myself into IRONMAN training and sign up for one. I’m now working towards my first event in Barcelona this October.
“For anyone who doesn’t know what it is, it’s a triathlon consisting of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, followed by a full marathon.
“I’m currently training six days a week, every morning before coaching begins in the afternoon.”
The former Grimsby man has also taken a keen interest in social media, hoping to inspire other young athletes by documenting his story and transition out of the professional game. “I think it’s important to tell my story and show other young footballers that there is a life away from football.
“People see the end goal of becoming a professional footballer and think nothing else could come close to it. And of course, being in that world is great, and a lot of luxuries come with it – especially if you’re lucky enough to reach a high level – but believe me, there are other things in life that are just as fulfilling.
“I made the decision myself to leave the game I love at just 22, and I’ve found that there’s so much more to life. I think a lot of people can learn from that. I’m not doing this to become famous on social media or to gain interactions – I’m doing it because I want to help others who are in the position I was once in.”