Dutchtown High School (La.) long snapper Grant DeNicola has committed to play in the Gridiron Football All-American Bowl.
“It means the world to me I have always wanted to play in a bowl game and as a long snapper it is super hard to get noticed so when I got the invite there was never a doubt in my mind I didn’t want to participate in another opportunity that God presented me with.”
Typically, kids do not start long snapping until they reach high school. However, DeNicola started snapping at eight years old.
“I got into snapping at about eight years old because my coach at the time needed more linemen that could block, so he asked me if I could play center and it came just so naturally from early on. It felt like second nature by the end of that season as we we were the only team that could punt just because I could snap 12 yards with just raw talent.”
Long snapping isn’t a position for glory-seekers. However, it is one of the most important positions on the field as everything can go wrong in a routine field or punt with just one bad snap. DeNicola understands the importance of what he does.
“Long snapping is a position that is a non-glory position. As a long snapper, the worst thing you can do is end up in the news or the paper because that means you messed up. Snapping is beneficial to the game because I have seen multiple examples where the long snapper messed up the snap or the snap was too slow. One bad ball can cost you a game.”
An interesting fact about DeNicola is that he grew up on a 100-acre farm in Amite, Louisiana and raised cattle with his father and grandfather until he was 13 years old.
Join Grant and the rest of our players for the 2023 Gridiron Football All-American Bowl Game, which will be played at Memorial Stadium on December 30th at 6:00 P.M.
To Pre-Order Your Tickets To The 2023 Gridiron Football All-American Bowl Game, which will be played at Memorial Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on Saturday, December 30th, click the image below!
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