HOUSTON COUNTY, Ala. (WDHN) — Dowd is a Dothan name that most everyone knows of; including Thomas Dowd who WDHN talked to a while back when he signed with Troy Basketball. 

Thomas is the second youngest of nine siblings in the Dowd family, which has an impressive portfolio in the sports world. Dowd’s mother in 2015 was ranked 7th worldwide in the CrossFit Games.

But that doesn’t mean Thomas never had to fight the battle that every athlete faces. 

“There were definitely like, parts of like growing up where I didn’t like, think basketball would still like be an option going into college,” stated Thomas Dowd.

This statement comes after growing up in a family with impressive sports cultivation.

His father was a quarterback at the United States Military Academy at West Point from 1980-84. 

His mother, qualified for the Boston Marathon in 2014, and in 2015 competed as a Master’s Athlete in the CrossFit games. 

His three older sisters played volleyball at the collegiate level. Rebecca at the University of Montevallo, Katie at the University of Mobile and Elizabeth at Shorter University.

His brothers; Buddy played football at Birmingham Southern. Lawrence played football at the United States Military Academy at West Point, Sam repping the same school in a soccer uniform. Timmy played soccer at Shorter University and Johnny was Army ROTC and cheerleader at Auburn.

In the end, Thomas still had a lot to overcome, but what he did have was a support system filled with mentors and people who had actually accomplished the challenges that he was facing. It just so happened to be his family, and that’s why Thomas says that every athlete needs to know. 

“No matter how frustrated you get, no matter how upset you get if it’s something that’s in your future, then it’s going to happen,” Thomas said. “You just have to work hard enough and people will notice.”