Student-Athlete Of The Month: Devin McGowan

Two years ago, Devin McGowan decided to join the winter scrub league and play some basketball to prepare for baseball season. He took to hoops so well that his coach recommended he try out for the Broadneck High School team the following year.

McGowan made the team as a junior, and now as a senior, he is an integral part of a Bruins squad that is at double figures in wins over the course of the season.

“I always played basketball growing up, but it wasn't something that I took as seriously as baseball,” said McGowan, also a first baseman for Broadneck’s baseball team. “The difference is just how fast-paced it is and how nerves can get the best of you. When the big moment comes on the baseball field now, I actually handle it a lot better because of the high emotions I've experienced on the basketball court for the last two years.”

McGowan stepped into the basketball team with a clearly defined role that he has made his own: do the dirty work and be a high-energy player in the low block.

Setting screens, scrapping for rebounds and playing tenacious defense doesn’t often garner headlines, but it’s what the team needs. And it’s a bonus when he shows up big in the scoring column, as he did in netting 14 points against Severna Park on February 2.

It’s a mixture of hustle and heart that McGowan credits to his father, Eddie McGowan, who was lost to ALS when Devin McGowan was 11 but still motivates him to be his best today.

“He showed me what I would need to do to get to where I am now,” McGowan said. “I play with a lot of heart and hustle for him.”

In turn, now, he relays those messages to other athletes. McGowan is part of the Broadneck Athletic Leadership Council, which helps athletes hone their leadership skills in athletic settings.

His leadership, along with an ability to compartmentalize school and athletics, has him set up for big things in the future. He has a 3.6 GPA and hopes to study business in college, playing club sports to fan the athletic flame he hopes will burn for a long time.

“I really just try to separate the two things,” McGowan said. “The senior schedule (with early release) really helps a lot too. I can focus on my classes and prepare myself, study the night before a class, and then I have a gap in the day when I can lock myself in for game time or practice.”