PHS Wildcats
02-13-2008, 09:11 PM
http://www.palestineherald.com/localsports/local_story_044120109.html?keyword=topstory
Published: February 13, 2008 12:01 pm
Bowie excited about new role
The Palestine Herald
By SCOTT TYLER
H-P Sports Editor
In the spring of 2007, Booker Bowie thought he was going to be out of coaching and leaving Palestine High School.
Less than a year later, Bowie is still at Palestine and back into coaching — this time as the Palestine athletic director and head football coach.
“It is exciting but it has not really sunk in yet,” Bowie said Thursday afternoon, less than 24 hours after the Palestine Independent School District board of trustees named him the athletic director.
After 30 years of coaching, Bowie was ready to retire in the spring and start a catering business. But in August, after Palestine High School principal Richard Scoggin left, Bowie got a phone call from Palestine ISD superintendent Jerry Mayo asking for Bowie to return to the district as an administrator.
Bowie came back, but did not coach this season, watching games from the stands rather than his accustomed view from the sidelines.
“I definitely missed it, it was tough,” Bowie said of being away from coaching. “That is why it was not a hard decision to get back into it.”
Bowie took over the athletic department on an interim basis in November after former athletic director Glen Tunstall was reassigned.
Three months later and Bowie was given the official title of athletic director and head football coach and he is ready to get started.
“I want to start getting the kids motivated,” Bowie said. “We are going to talk about things we started to do a couple of months ago.”
Bowie said he was going to stress discipline with his athletes, including their work in the classroom and the dress code.
“We are going to make sure the athletic department is something positive and we want to set a good example for the rest of the student body,” Bowie said.
Bowie also said he is going to raise his expectations of the Palestine athletes in the classroom.
“It is real important to succeed not only in the playing field but also in the classroom,” Bowie said. “We have started a study hall and we are going to demand more from our athletes.”
Bowie also will be busy starting to look for new coaches as several varsity coaches have left the staff.
Bowie may be benefited in his new position by his experience with Palestine. Bowie spent five years as the Palestine defensive coordinator and head boys’ track coach.
“I know a majority of the guys and it is a big plus to know what these kids can do,” Bowie said.
Mayo said Bowie’s experience at Palestine was a major key in having Bowie become the athletic director.
“That played a big factor in what we wanted to do to solidify the role of our athletic program,” the Palestine superintendent said. “Coach Bowie knows us and we know him and that is important.
“The community knows coach Bowie and we got a lot of input from parents who wanted coach Bowie to become the athletic director.”
Bowie, who also will take over the track program, will be running the Palestine defense just like he did when he was the defensive coordinator.
“We are going to continue to be aggressive on defense,” Bowie said. “I am going to stick with what I know best and that is defense.”
This will be Bowie’s second stint as a head coach. He spent three years (1987-89) as the head coach of Whitehouse.
“I think that is what makes it so exciting is because it has been a while,” Bowie said.
Bowie, who was known for his towel waving and jumping up and down on the sideline, is ready to bring back that excitement to the athletic program.
“I want to bring motivation and enthusiasm,” Bowie said. “Anything you do, you want to do your best and you do that with excitement.”
Published: February 13, 2008 12:01 pm
Bowie excited about new role
The Palestine Herald
By SCOTT TYLER
H-P Sports Editor
In the spring of 2007, Booker Bowie thought he was going to be out of coaching and leaving Palestine High School.
Less than a year later, Bowie is still at Palestine and back into coaching — this time as the Palestine athletic director and head football coach.
“It is exciting but it has not really sunk in yet,” Bowie said Thursday afternoon, less than 24 hours after the Palestine Independent School District board of trustees named him the athletic director.
After 30 years of coaching, Bowie was ready to retire in the spring and start a catering business. But in August, after Palestine High School principal Richard Scoggin left, Bowie got a phone call from Palestine ISD superintendent Jerry Mayo asking for Bowie to return to the district as an administrator.
Bowie came back, but did not coach this season, watching games from the stands rather than his accustomed view from the sidelines.
“I definitely missed it, it was tough,” Bowie said of being away from coaching. “That is why it was not a hard decision to get back into it.”
Bowie took over the athletic department on an interim basis in November after former athletic director Glen Tunstall was reassigned.
Three months later and Bowie was given the official title of athletic director and head football coach and he is ready to get started.
“I want to start getting the kids motivated,” Bowie said. “We are going to talk about things we started to do a couple of months ago.”
Bowie said he was going to stress discipline with his athletes, including their work in the classroom and the dress code.
“We are going to make sure the athletic department is something positive and we want to set a good example for the rest of the student body,” Bowie said.
Bowie also said he is going to raise his expectations of the Palestine athletes in the classroom.
“It is real important to succeed not only in the playing field but also in the classroom,” Bowie said. “We have started a study hall and we are going to demand more from our athletes.”
Bowie also will be busy starting to look for new coaches as several varsity coaches have left the staff.
Bowie may be benefited in his new position by his experience with Palestine. Bowie spent five years as the Palestine defensive coordinator and head boys’ track coach.
“I know a majority of the guys and it is a big plus to know what these kids can do,” Bowie said.
Mayo said Bowie’s experience at Palestine was a major key in having Bowie become the athletic director.
“That played a big factor in what we wanted to do to solidify the role of our athletic program,” the Palestine superintendent said. “Coach Bowie knows us and we know him and that is important.
“The community knows coach Bowie and we got a lot of input from parents who wanted coach Bowie to become the athletic director.”
Bowie, who also will take over the track program, will be running the Palestine defense just like he did when he was the defensive coordinator.
“We are going to continue to be aggressive on defense,” Bowie said. “I am going to stick with what I know best and that is defense.”
This will be Bowie’s second stint as a head coach. He spent three years (1987-89) as the head coach of Whitehouse.
“I think that is what makes it so exciting is because it has been a while,” Bowie said.
Bowie, who was known for his towel waving and jumping up and down on the sideline, is ready to bring back that excitement to the athletic program.
“I want to bring motivation and enthusiasm,” Bowie said. “Anything you do, you want to do your best and you do that with excitement.”