Lasting Legacy

BRADEN RIVER — It was a typical football Friday, at least in the eyes of Braden River High Athletic Director Bob Bowling.

The Mill Creek resident arrived at the school well before the sun came up and promptly propped open his office door inside the school’s media center.

Around 6 a.m., football coach Curt Bradley arrived in Bowling’s office for their daily conversation. The two spend time every morning talking about football and family, offering words of encouragement and, most importantly, sharing laughs.

The next eight hours would play out much the same way as coaches, colleagues and administrators would gradually make their way into Bowling’s office one final time.

When the final bell rang at 2:05 p.m., signaling the start of the holiday weekend, Bowling took his place outside the media center, where he had stood every day for the past 10 years, and watched as students and players headed off in different directions.

As silence began to blanket the courtyard, Bowling returned to his office, picked up a few final mementos, turned off the lights, and for the last time, quietly walked out of the school that he has called home for the past 10 years.

Bowling officially retired Aug. 29, capping a career in athletics that spanned 41 years. He left without any fanfare — the same way he walked into Braden River for the first time in 2005.

But Bowling’s athletic career wouldn’t have been complete without attending one final football game. The original pirate bid farewell to Braden River by watching the Pirates come-from-behind in the final minute to beat North Fort Myers in their season opener Friday night. Following the game, Bradley presented Bowling with the game ball.

“It was time,” says Bowling, who has diabetes and felt it was in his best interest to retire. “I’m going with no regrets. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to come to this school. I always wanted to start a new school and this has been a great administration to work for.”

ORIGINAL PIRATE
Bowling has touched the lives of countless players and coaches over the years while facing his share of ups and downs along the way.

Making decisions that weren’t always favorable, Bowling never lost sight of what was important — discipline and guiding young people in the right direction.

In his first year as athletic director, Bowling watched his teams struggle. The Pirates basketball team went 1-23 in its first season under head coach Matt Nesser, who is the only current coach to have started with Bowling, but Bowling knew his teams would one day excel.

In 2007, Bowling watched Braden River play its first season of varsity football. A year later, the Pirates were headed to the playoffs.

“As tiresome as it gets sometimes, it’s enjoyable watching the kids play,” Bowling says. “It’s fun for the school, and they are only going to grow and get better every year. Our best years are ahead of us.”

Bowling faced his toughest test as an athletic director two years later when then football head coach Josh Hunter was involved in an accident that resulted in the death of Hunter’s best friend and assistant coach Doug Garrity.

Bowling, who was close to both families, describes it as the toughest moment of his athletic career — one with which he still continues to deal.

“Everyone was grieving and hurt and (in a way) I’m responsible for that,” Bowling says. “I hired him and I felt like I let a lot of people down. He’s doing much better than expected. His attitude is really good and he’s accepted the fact that it happened and he’s responsible.”

Following Hunter’s conviction in May 2010, Bowling was tasked with trying to rebuild a football program that had already seen its share of success.

After seeing the next two coaches walk away after only two years, Bowling finally found what he was looking for in Bradley.

Within two to three minutes of sitting down with Bradley in his initial interview, Bowling, who loved Bradley’s energy, knowledge and demeanor, realized he had found his man.

“His first concern is the kids and their families,” Bowling says. “Sometimes he’s tough on them, but it’s a tough love. He’s done exactly what he said he was going to do.”

Bowling knew it wasn’t going to be easy. And he was right.

The team faced its share of struggles before ultimately finding success the final week of the 2012 season. Seeing the transformation and the jubilation on Bradley and the players’ faces following their first win of the season is a moment Bowling will never forget.

“He didn’t give up on them,” Bowling says. “It was a crowning moment for me. It was almost like a dad (celebrating) a son. I’m very proud of my own sons, but we’ve developed a relationship over the past few years. It’s going to be difficult retiring and leaving him. It’s the mother hen aspect, and now I have to let him go.”

Over the past 10 years, Bowling has watched the Pirates win district championships in volleyball, basketball, softball, baseball and girls soccer and a state championship in boys weightlifting. He also saw the school win the FHSAA Sportsmanship Award four times during his tenure.

“The guy at the top gets a lot of credit, but I’ve been fortunate to have been surrounded by really good coaches,” Bowling says. “The competitive part of me wants to stay and be a part (of what’s to come), but the other part of me wants to get someone else in here who can do a better job.

“It’s not about me,” Bowling says. “It never has been. Athletics can’t be about an individual. It’s a team.”

CALL ME COACH
A graduate of Manatee High, Bowling always wanted to be involved in athletics. There was just something about the competition and the camaraderie that captured Bowling’s attention.

Bowling played football and baseball for the Hurricanes, but he quickly realized playing beyond college wouldn’t be a part of his future plans.

“It’s hard to tell which was my (primary sport),” Bowling says with a laugh. “I wasn’t any good at either one, but I played.”

Bowling earned a football scholarship to Fort Scott Junior College in Kansas where he played quarterback.

He earned his first coaching job at Miami Edison High in 1973. Over the course of the next four decades, Bowling would travel the U.S., landing coaching jobs across Florida and making three different stops in Texas.

Bowling spent 10 years at Mexia High in Texas before returning home to be with family. He was named the new head football coach and athletic director at Palmetto High in 1993. Bowling retired from coaching in 2003; he left Palmetto after 12 years to come to Braden River.

“Throughout my career, I’ve been surrounded by great coaches,” Bowling says. “I’ve learned tremendous stuff from a lot of different people. Being able to pick up the phone, call a coach and ask them what they would do differently in a situation — that’s what I enjoyed the most.”

FAMILY FIRST
Having spent the past couple of years talking about retirement, Bowling is looking forward to what lies ahead.

As a coach and athletic director, Bowling spent countless hours away from his family. Between scheduling, preparation, practices and games, not to mention all of the other obligations that go along with being a head coach, Bowling admits he missed out on a lot — something he’s hoping to avoid with his five grandchildren.

Luckily, Bowling had an understanding partner in his wife, Elaine, who runs the Mini Mustangs program at Lakewood Ranch High, who kept everything running smoothly at home while Bowling was away.

“As a coach, you spend a lot of time caring for everyone else’s kids that you start to lose focus of your own kids,” Bowling says. “A lot of us coaches are still kids (at heart), and I’ve been very blessed with her. She’s been a great person, and I hope to spend a little more time with her.”

Although if you ask Bowling’s three children: Rob and Casey, who both reside in South Carolina, and Matt, who lives in Parrish and coaches baseball and football at Braden River, their dad was the perfect role model.

“Several times dad would claim that he neglected his own family for his players, but we never saw it that way,” Matt Bowling says. “We saw a man who had a love for his fellow person and was a man of his word. Dad exemplifies the word integrity to the fullest. There is not a person on this planet that I would want to replace him with. In all honesty, I will never be able to achieve what he was as a father to me with my own children simply because the bar is unreachable.”

Bowling plans to spend this next chapter of his life relaxing in the hopes of getting his diabetes under control and spending time with his grandchildren.

He also hopes to do some yard work and continue playing golf every Saturday morning, which should be a lot easier now that he’ll have his Friday nights free.

“I probably won’t take as many naps,” jokes Bowling. “Or maybe I’ll take more. I don’t know.”

TIMELINE
• Spring 1966 — Graduated from Manatee High where he started at quarterback and also played baseball

• Fall 1966 — Attended Fort Scott Junior College in Kansas on a football scholarship

• 1973 to 1975 — Coached football and baseball at Miami Edison High School

• 1975 — Coached at Groveton High in Texas for one season

• 1976 to 1978 — Coached at Manatee High

• 1979 to 1981 — Coached and also served as the athletic director at Pasco High in Dade City

• 1982 — Coached at Zephyrhills High

• 1983 — Coached at Lumberton High in Texas

• 1984 to 1992 — Coached at Mexia High

• 1993 to 2004 — Coached football, taught physical education and served as the athletic director at Palmetto High

• 2005 to Aug. 29, 2014 — Athletic Director at Braden River High

Tributes to Coach
“Coach Bowling has been an amazing athletic director. As a principal, I could not have asked for a better athletic director to learn from and work with. I will miss his wisdom, his laughter and his smiling face every day. I am extremely fortunate to have had the time with Coach that I had.”
— Jennifer Gilray, Braden River High principal

“You wouldn’t have enough room to list the names of people that he’s touched and lives that he’s changed. The football program and all other programs here at Braden River High School have him to thank for his 10 years of service in laying the groundwork for big things to come. We will continue to do our best to make him proud, and we will always have a whistle hanging in the coaching locker room for him. He is a true man, a true leader and a true friend.”
— Curt Bradley, Braden River High football coach

“Bob has never been one to bring attention to himself. He is always looking for that person he can do things for without getting credit for doing so. He has spent all of his years coaching and teaching by giving his all to so many. Now it is his time to relax and do the things he enjoys.”
— Elaine Bowling, Bob Bowling’s wife

“He just simply is a man based on character and principle, fair to all and extremely compassionate. I could not have asked for a better coach to work under and learn from. Taking the father aspect out of the equation, he is the most dedicated, loyal and selfless man I know. My dad is a great man and will continue to be, and I must say that it is a complete honor to be called one of his coaches; but, more importantly. his son.
— Matt Bowling, Bob Bowling’s son

“You could not ask for a more supportive athletic director. His door was always open to his coaches, and as a coach it is very comforting to know he had your back in any situation. The thing I will miss the most from Coach Bowling is our morning talks. He didn’t just coach athletes. He taught coaches how to coach athletes. He has devoted his career to high school athletics; and I’m honored to not only have been a student-athlete under him but also to have coached for him.”
— Erin Spivey, Braden River High softball coach

“I only knew him the past four years while I worked at Braden River; however, he was an instrumental part of my growth and success not only professionally as a teacher, coach, and fundraising/event planner, but personally as well. The love, care, and support this man showed me and continues to show me is profound and to be admired. Coach Bowling is a man of many characteristics and experiences. His humor and storytelling will live in infamy, but his affectionate, considerate and generous nature will live on, not only in my heart but the hearts of
many for a lifetime.”
— Erin Buchanan, English teacher and former Braden River High cheerleading coach

“I have had the pleasure of working with Coach Bowling for 10 years and during that time he has become a tremendous influence on my life.  Coach Bowling is a man of conviction, a man of standards, and a man who believes in doing things the right way. He has given Braden River 10 years of his life and as he leaves his legacy will continue on.
Bob cares about his coaches and the student athletes they work with. In his years at Braden River, he has given our coaches and athletes the tools and facilities they need to be competitive and successful. He is a man of honor and principles and he has never strayed away from what is important and that is taking care of the needs of the student athlete.
I’m very happy for him; but for us, our school, our kids and our coaches, we are losing probably one of the greatest human beings that I have ever met. Bob Bowling is Braden River High School.”
— Don French, Braden River High assistant principal

“He is one of the most dedicated, giving and thoughtful bosses I have ever met. When I worked for him for five years, he would always have delightful one-liners in passing, a smile or a hat tip. He was a second dad to me and always encouraged me while I was completing my schooling. Coach Bowling is just one of those guys who makes your life richer by knowing him and spending time with him as a boss, fatherly figure and friend.”
— Katie Gallagher, former Braden River High athletic trainer

“With someone like Coach Bowling, words cannot do him justice. I really hate the thought that he will no longer be guiding our people. He and I go back to working together at Palmetto High; and then I was extremely blessed for him to agree to come to the new Pirate Family to establish the entire athletic department. He simply always follows the rules and does the right thing. He has been a role model for hundreds and hundreds of student-athletes and adults. I know in my long career, he has been the best of the best. He is an outstanding coach, an outstanding AD, but most important, Bob is a tremendous person — a great man that I will miss working with.”
— Jim Pauley, former Braden River High principal

“Coach Bowling has laid the foundation of what our sports programs represents — honor, integrity and respect. He was instrumental in supporting our basketball program when we started the school in 2005. Those were tough lean years with a 1-23 record our first varsity season. I have come to know Coach Bowling as a coach, mentor, confidant and most importantly a friend.  He will be missed but not forgotten within our ‘pirate nation.’”
— Matt Nesser, Braden River High boys basketball coach

“Bob is a close friend of mine and also my mentor in the coaching profession. I have seen first hand over the years how much he cares for not only the students he coaches, but all the students and their families. He taught me a lot about dealing with kids and that all situations aren’t black and white. We had many good times and stories from our coaching days.”
— Scott Hunt, Braden River High assistant football coach

“Coach Bowling is a great man to work for. His door is always open and anytime you needed to talk he was always there to listen and give advice.”
— Craig Page, Braden River High baseball coach

I spent nine years with him at Palmetto. We, as coaches, always worried about Thursdays because that’s when you have to get the field ready. He was always well known for his epic battles with the paint machine. He would come in drenched with paint and not very happy. Something would always go wrong with the machine.

One year we had a couple of kids transfer to Bayshore. We played them and beat them. He had T-shirts made that said ‘We beat ours with ours.”

Those are just a couple memories that come to mind.
— Mick Koczersut, Lakewood Ranch High football coach and Bowling’s former offensive coordinator at Palmetto

Contact Jen Blanco at [email protected].