POSTED: September 27, 2009
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Bowdler lured to area by ceramics
CALCUTTA — Growing up in Northamptonshire, UK, Mick Bowdler would have to travel about 150 miles to reach Liverpool on the western shores of England.
To reach East Liverpool, though, the Beaver Local head coach traveled about 3,700 miles.
So how did a teenager playing pro soccer for Coventry City across The Pond end up raising a family and coaching kids in the Beaver Local School District and beyond?
Ceramics.
At age 18, Bowdler decided to focus on his college career path and entered into a ceramic design institution in England. About the time of his graduation in June 1981, a company called Hall China was in search of a talented ceramic designer to work under Don Schrekengost.
Not having luck in America, Hall China turned to their consultant in England to see if they had anyone available.
Enter in Bowdler, who was already thinking about working in the United States of America.
“I wanted to work in America anyway,” the now Beaver Local resident said. “I was in the process of writing letters (to US companies) so it really worked out for me. The timing was terrific.”
By November, Bowdler and his wife were on their way over to the East Liverpool area to settle into their new life in the Ohio Valley.
The love of soccer still flowed through the former soccer player’s veins and almost as he set up his home life, Bowdler began setting up youth soccer programs with some help of others.
He was part of the group that brought soccer fields to the East End in the early 1980s. Then they wanted to expand out to Beaver Local and start some type of youth program out there.
Bowdler followed.
Soon thereafter, the England-transplant was working in the high school soccer program in Salem in 1989. He spent five years there before working closer to home with the boys’ squad in Beaver Local in the mid-90s.
After three years as a Beaver, he took some time off but came back to the district in 2004 to coach the boys once again. He moved to the girls’ side of the program and helped the Lady Beavers for two years before coming back with the boys this year.
In addition to his head coaching job, he helps run the Keystone Soccer Academy in Western Pa along with Brian Stoddard and Beaver girls coach Liz Conner.
It’s from this youth league that he has seen his own Beaver players as well as others in the Valley mature since the age of nine-years old.
Soccer and ceramics make up the jobs that Bowdler loves being a part of the East Liverpool area.
Taking to these jobs was simple for the Beaver head coach.
“You just do something you enjoy doing,” Bowdler said.
(David Grimes is a sports writer at The Review. He can be reached at dgrimes@reviewonline.com)
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CALCUTTA — The ball got rolling the past few years for the Beaver Local soccer program and this year its undefeated march halfway into the regular season is leading the boys to their goal of making it into the district playoffs and beyond.
In the best start in the past several years, the Beaver boys and head coach Mick Bowdler have compiled a 8-0-1 record so far this season.
According to Bowdler, fans won’t find a stand-out superstar on the team, but, rather, a great group of players that work hard, have great chemistry and on any given night can get the job done.
“Collectively we are a good team. We don’t have any real superstars like all-state, regional, DI-type of players but we don’t have any weak players,” the coach said. “They’re pretty much all on the same level and collectively that makes us a strong team.”
This year’s squad has been a team in the making.
Former head coach Brian Stoddard left Beaver Local to join the Youngstown State University girls team as an assistant coach. But Bowdler said his work is still being felt on the fields of Beaver Local.
“I think all his hard work last year has been paying off this year,” the England-born coach said.
With Stoddard’s hand in the mix, coupled with more players participating year round in off-season leagues, the level of competition has grown each year.
“A lot of the boys have played winter soccer and spring soccer which has really, in my opinion, (been) the first time that we had numbers play all year round,” Bowdler said. “That has really impacted our standard this year.”
One of the best features about the team is that any player has the potential to step up and be a game-changer.
“It’s a great group of players and they really work hard, the intensity is good and they seem to be getting better game by game,” the coach said. “In my opinion, this is the best Beaver Local boys team that’s come along.”
When asked which players have stood out on the field this year, Bowdler scanned the practice field for awhile trying to come up with one or two players on a team that produces various playmakers on any given day.
After a pause, he started picking out players.
Kyle Knepper, a senior transfer from Heartland Christian, has been a key player this season. He recently pulled off the hat-trick against Hubbard in the fifth game of the season.
“He plays up front for us and he has really helped us out in the attack,” Bowdler said.
Then the coach added the backline is young – with sophomores Mike Houk and Kevin Sevey and junior Drew Eisenhart – but they’ve stepped up and help the team tremendously. They’re anchored by senior and co-captain Alex Allen.
Still peering into the field where the shirts-and-skins scrimmage was ongoing, Bowdler kept naming players.
Indeed, he really did mean the Beavers did not have one stand-out superstar.
Bowdler continued, noting fellow captain and senior mid-fielder Jobey Manahan is a good technical player and read the game well. Behind him is senior Daniel Keenan at defensive mid-fielder who the coach called very intelligent and technical as well.
Bowdler was also impressed with senior Travis Lynch who has funneled his “fiery” emotions into exceptional leadership and assistance with the team.
“I’m very happy with Travis Lynch,” the coach said. “”His overall attitude has helped the team. I think the team looks for him on the field for leadership.”
Bowdler also noted Knepper has helped take some pressure off Lynch to score goals. Lynch is now able to drop back more often and is currently one of the assist leaders on the team.
Still keeping an eye on his players, he started naming key players who come off the bench and make waves on the field.
Senior Matthew Speziale can fill in just about any position and is usually first off the sidelines. Ian Speelman, senior, can come in and play well in the forward role.
Roudning out the senior leaders are Jordan Fetty — who recently netted two goals in the 5-1 win against state-ranked Howland — and Shane McCoy.
The coach was about to name another player, but Knepper, who sitting on the sidelines, needed help to ice a sore leg that’s been bothersome lately. He’s not expected to miss any game time.
After Division I Canfield visits Beaver Local, the team will face Poland who round out the hardest competitors left on the schedule. The two schools are part of the eight game trail leading into the playoffs.
Then Oct 11, the seedings are revealed for Sectional play.
Bowdler said he likes his chances at the end of the season.
“They are very hard working, they want to win,” the coach said.
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