Westmoreland County Senior Spotlight: Ligonier Valley’s Grant Dowden

By: Anthony Difilippo
Monday, June 6, 2022 | 3:54 PM

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Being a utility player in one sport is difficult enough, but how about in two sports?

It’s almost unheard of.

That’s exactly what Grant Dowden did this year for the Ligonier Valley football and baseball teams.

Dowden played shortstop, outfield, pitcher, wide receiver, defensive back and punter in the two sports, and his versatility always was on display.

“Every season it seems like I play outfield then go to shortstop in the summer and pitch whenever people need me to,” Dowden said. “I think it just helps the team overall.”

Dowden’s versatility actually paid dividends with the college recruiting process, as Allegheny decided to bring him in as a utility player.

“They recruited me just for that position,” Dowden said. “I’ll probably be playing infield, but (I’ll play) wherever the coach wants me.”

Not only does Dowden have athletic talent, but he also is strong in academics.

He was named a PA Football News All-Academic Gold team member this year, meaning he had above a 4.0 GPA.

“I like being known as not just a football player and not just a baseball player,” Dowden said. “I take pride in the classroom.”

Ligonier Valley baseball finished 9-11 overall this year and missed the playoffs.

Dowden is going to Allegheny undecided but likely will major in environmental science or a related field.

With his senior season now past him, Dowden took some time for a Senior Spotlight Q&A:

How did you get started with baseball?

I think my first encounter was probably baseball cards. Probably my older brother. My dad would be like, “Hey, come out and let’s toss the ball,” and then I was hooked. Even whenever I was wearing them out, I would still hit the ball back and forth endlessly with a Wiffle ball and a Wiffle ball bat.

How did you feel about the season team-wise?

I think we needed to settle in. Things were still kind of new. I think we got off to a late start. I still think the season went well once we finally all got together. We went to work, overcame some adversity, and I think we ended the season well. Had some fun and hopefully left an impact on the younger kids and helped out the program.

How do you feel about your season, personally?

I honestly feel like I could’ve done better. It’s baseball. Stuff happens. I liked that I had a good on-base percentage, and I think that went well overall.

What is your biggest strength?

I have a good love for the game that makes me have a good attitude. Even when I’m in a slump, I’m still happy to see my teammates still enjoy the sport. I think that’s a good strength to have because baseball has so many fluctuations. It still helps that you have a love for the game even when you’re in a slump.

Is there an area that you are looking to improve on?

I would say just batting. Getting back to my old self, being aggressive. I didn’t feel exactly like myself. I just want to hammer the ball, jump on it early, not be too selective and let loose.

Why do you decide to participate in both baseball and football and is there anything from one that helps you in the other?

I definitely think there’s positives from playing football and playing baseball. It translates because sometimes in football, you realize that life isn’t fair, and it’s the same way in baseball. Say you have an umpire that’s ringing you up or squeezing the zone or expanding it. I think it helps there. It’s just mental toughness that helps with football that helps in baseball.

What is a memory that stands out from your high school career?

For baseball I would probably say playing the conference game against Mt. Pleasant. There was some event at the home field. We were down 3-0. We had a slow start. Then I hit a three-run home run at our home field that got us back and tied the game, 3-3. Not very many people hit home runs at the home field. That was probably the standout moment in baseball at least.

What is one thing that people may not know about you?

One thing that people may not know about me is that I like to read. I don’t know if I really talk about that with my friends, but I definitely do like to read really anything from science books to history books to really anything, honestly.

Do you have a favorite book?

I’ll say Atomic Habits because my cousin recommended it to me. It was a good self-help book, and he’s really successful in his sport. He’s actually a D-1 basketball player at Indiana. I want to follow in his footsteps. He’s really focused and motivated.

Tags: Ligonier Valley