Coach Griswold graduated from San Diego High School in 1967.  He continued his education at San Diego Mesa Community College.  While at San Diego Mesa he competed in the 1968 season where he threw the javelin.  After a brief stint in the Army he returned to Mesa College and competed in the 1970 track season where he placed second in the Javelin at the California Community College State Championships.  Coach Griswold accepted a scholarship to San Diego State University where he competed during the 1971 and 1972 seasons and finished with a career best of 238 feet in the Javelin.

Upon graduation from SDSU he earned a teaching credential and began a long and successful teaching/coaching career in the San Diego Unified School District.  He began coaching at Kearny High School and was the Head Coach from 1980-1986. His Boys team won the 1986 CIF championship and he was named CIF Boys Coach of the Year.   He moved on to La Jolla High School for two years.  Coach Griswold then moved over to Morse High School where he was part of a coaching staff that won 20 CIF Track and Field Championships between the Boys and Girls teams.  In 1996 he was again honored as CIF Boys Coach of the Year.  His highlight at Morse High School was working with and being part of the success and development of two-time Olympic Relay Gold Medalist Monique Henderson.  Coach Griswold continues to coach at Mission Bay High School and Mesa College where he primarily coaches the javelin throwers.