A gifted and fast skater, Grant won speed skating championships at three different age groups when he was 11 years old. He also played amateur lacrosse while he grew up in Montreal, Quebec. His skills transferred to the hockey rink where Grant played cover point (defence). He is regarded as one of the first rushing defencemen in hockey history; Grant used his skating ability to generate offensive chances from his defensive position. He played his youth hockey with the Crystals organization that won the Montreal city junior championship in 1891 and intermediate championships in 1892 and 1893.