C’view’s Dave Bowen wears many hats

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

CONVOY — He’s a man who fills multiple roles: Middle School principal, athletic administrator, assistant varsity boys’ basketball coach, P.A. announcer, and occasional bus driver.

Crestview’s Dave Bowen does all of that and more, and enjoys every minute of it.

“I truly enjoy watching our students and staff members work hard to uphold our motto, ‘Excellence is Our Tradition’,” Bowen said. “I enjoy being in classrooms and seeing learning occurring because of great teaching. I have an outstanding staff of educators and they bring the juice every day.”

“I also enjoy watching our student-athletes represent their school and community through their various athletic events,” Bowen added. “Win or lose, it is our goal to compete at a very high level and show respect to our opponents, the officials, and the event in general.”

Bowen played basketball and baseball for the Knights before graduating in 1984, then earned his undergraduate degree from Ohio State University and his master’s degree and principal’s license from the University of Dayton.

He taught for one year at Bradford High School, then spent two years at Lincolnview before returning to teach and coach at Crestview in the fall of 1991. Bowen taught English for 15 years before being named assistant principal and athletic administrator, then Middle School principal.

“I am the leader of our team of students and staff in grades six through eight,” Bowen said. “I handle all principal duties, including, but not limited to, daily schedules, school climate, teacher evaluation, teacher hiring, student discipline, and more.”

“As athletic administrator, I am in charge of our athletic department,” Bowen explained. “Budget, working with and hiring of head coaches, handling issues as they present themselves, and I work with my assistant athletic directors — Greg Rickard and Owen Pugh — in constantly evaluating and improving our facilities, schedules, and game management.”

Bowen admitted that juggling his many administrative duties can be very challenging.

“An administrator comes to school each day planning to get two to three projects or items addressed,” Bowen explained. “With the vast number of daily emails, teachers who stop in with requests, meetings, along with students and parents who may want to discuss various issues, each day is its own entity.”

Even so, along with the administrative side and with serving as an assistant coach, performing Public Address duties, and driving bus when needed, Bowen doesn’t shy away from helping in other areas.

“I enjoy doing anything I can to help my teachers and students with their needs and requests and I’m not afraid to get my hands dirty helping out our maintenance man, Geoff Waddles,” Bowen said. “We have a tremendous number of volunteers who assist our academic and athletic programs. It is fun to step in right beside them and get to work because without their involvement, our students and student-athletes would not have the outstanding opportunities that they are so richly blessed.”

In his rare down time, Bowen enjoys reading, bike riding, and tending to his yard and landscaping.

Bowen and his wife, Pam, have two daughters — Mallory, a student at Owens Community College, and recent Crestview High School graduate Sydney, who will attend Bluffton University in the fall.