A-K Valley Senior Spotlight: Leechburg’s Owen McDermott

By: Abby King
Monday, February 20, 2023 | 10:15 AM

For many seniors, the end of winter sports marks the closing of a chapter. But for senior multisport standout Owen McDermott, his participation with Leechburg athletics isn’t quite done yet.

He’s about to start his final season with the baseball team.

“I’m very emotional about my final season coming to an end,” McDermott said. “I’ve been playing basketball with these boys for my whole life. Next year, not suiting up on the court in a Leechburg uniform will be hard for me. We’ve made so many awesome memories that we will remember forever.”

Owen is the son of Gina and Todd McDermott. He is the captain for the basketball, baseball and soccer teams.

In his final basketball game Friday night, he had 36 points and 11 rebounds against Serra Catholic.

In baseball, he is a two-time all-section pick and an all-state selection who was seventh in the state and 89th in the country last season in batting average. In soccer, he was an all-WPIAL goalkeeper. He is also a part of the Spanish Club at Leechburg and always is looking to help out the community and younger generation. He is committed to Mt. Aloysius to play baseball next year.

“I chose Mt. Aloysius because I love the culture that they have,” McDermott said. “It’s a successful and winning program where I will get a great opportunity to compete right away.”

McDermott took some time out of his busy schedule to sit down and answer some questions for a Senior Spotlight Q&A:

How did you get started in basketball?

I’ve been playing for about nine years. I decided to play because my older brother played as well, and I was at all of his games. He inspired me to play.

This year, the class alignments put Leechburg into Class 2A. What was that like?

It was exciting for the team. We are always up for any challenge thrown at us, and our coach will get us prepared for anything. Coach (Damian) Davies and the staff are outstanding with getting us ready for each and every game we play. I feel that the alignment has helped the team. We have all the faith in each other every second on the court and are ready for anything.

Tell me a little bit about how you balance playing soccer, football, basketball and baseball.

For football and soccer, the practices were back to back on the same field, so it all worked out perfectly, then I would go home, get my homework done and eat the dinner my mom always had prepared for me. Basketball is a winter sport and baseball is a spring sport, so it’s been a lot less stressful and easier to focus on one sport per season. I grew up with these sports. From the moment I learned how to walk, I wanted everything to do with any sport. You have to fall in love with it.

Which is your favorite sport out of the four and why?

Baseball is my favorite. The love I have for the game is unexplainable, and I’ve been playing for 13 years. I’m excited to continue playing it at the college level. Being around my older brother, Neal, who also played in college, was best for me. He’s an awesome coach, brother and role model.

Tell me about your role on the basketball team and the duties that come with that.

My role is to be a leader and I can contribute in many different ways, whether that is shooting from the outside or grabbing as many rebounds as I can. I also am very vocal with my teammates and always encourage them. My coach tells me that I have a next-play attitude as well.

Tell me a little bit about your experience with the recruiting process.

It was stressful with the constant phone calls, texts and emails every day. It messed with my mind. Mt. Aloysius’ coach is amazing, though, and he has amazing connections.

What was it like playing without key player Eli Rich this year?

We miss him a lot. He was a big body who scored a lot of points and made rebounding look easy. We had to adjust and learn how to play without him. We had to learn to box out and do the dirty work inside the paint without him.

What is your pregame hype song?

“The Show Goes On” by Lupe Fiasco or “Wins & Losses” by Meek Mill.

Do you follow any superstitions?

I have to get three stars on Clash of Clans before every game.

How did you prepare for basketball, and how are you preparing for baseball?

For basketball, we played in a summer league with a lot of bigger schools than us to get ready for the new alignment. We practiced weekly and worked out with the elementary program as well. We were staying in shape all of the offseason for sure, especially with all the multisport athletes. For baseball, I’ve been in the batting cages and an indoor turf facility weekly with my coaches and teammates. We’ve been working hard, and I feel as if we are getting a huge head start on everyone in Class A.

Tell me a little bit about football season.

Although it was my first year, it was awesome and I wish I would’ve played all four years. There is nothing better than playing under Friday night lights with your best friends. Coach (Randy) Walters and his staff are phenomenal.

Tell me a little bit about your senior class.

Our class is very special. I believe we have the most college athletes in one grade graduating in school history.

What is one piece of advice you’d like to leave with your teammates?

Always have fun and play at 100%. Love and cherish every game, practice and moment out on the court, field or wherever you are playing.

What is one tradition that you’d like your teammates to continue once you’ve graduated?

Keep going crazy during pregame to “Just Wanna Rock” by Lil Uzi Vert in the locker room.

What does basketball mean to you?

I would not be who I am today without the game of basketball. The coaches I’ve had and the impact they have on me, the lessons I’ve learned, the memories I’ve made, the mental strength the game brought me, the ups and downs have all been worth every single moment and is part of the reason why I am who I am today.

Tags: Leechburg