Grayslake Dist. 127 parents want coach back
Grayslake High School District 127 board members said they'd consider whether to return former boys varsity basketball head coach Timothy Bowen to his position nearly a year after he was fired.
Parents and two brothers who played for Bowen at Grayslake Central High School asked board members Thursday night to reinstate the successful coach. They listed several of Bowen's attributes, including his ability to motivate players and a willingness to hold teenagers accountable.
Bowen was sacked as Grayslake Central's head boys varsity basketball coach in June 2008, although he retained his job as a science teacher. No specifics were publicly cited by District 127 board members in Bowen's removal as basketball coach.
District 127 board President Michael Hutchins thanked the group for the feedback on Bowen. He said the board would discuss Bowen during a closed-door session late Thursday, but any action wouldn't occur until another public meeting.
"We need to discuss it, think about it and decide what we're going to do next," Hutchins said.
Officials opted against renewing Bowen's hoops contract though he had led the Grayslake Central Rams to three 20-win campaigns, two regional titles and a conference championship over eight seasons.
He moved on to become an assistant boys varsity basketball coach at Waukegan High School, which lost in the state championship game in March.
At Thursday's meeting, Bowen's supporters said the coach was ousted after some complaints by a few parents. Grayslake Central incoming senior Andrew Sipes, who played for Bowen, said the coach had strong support from the Rams basketball team before the firing.
"What are the facts that prove Tim Bowen did something to get (himself) fired?" Sipes asked.
Parent Carl Belser questioned whether Bowen's willingness to help minority children in Grayslake led to his demise as coach. Belser said his experiences have led him to conclude Grayslake isn't welcoming toward minority residents.
"To those who know me," Belser said, "I am not one to play the race card - ever."
Parent Lisa Larson praised Bowen for his skills as a motivator and for instilling a work ethic in elementary school-age girls he coaches for teams that feed players into the District 127 system.
District 127 board members last June voted 2-2 on the question of whether to renew Bowen's contract to coach boys varsity basketball, which resulted in his dismissal.
Three of seven board members didn't attend the meeting in question.
In 2003, a group of parents asked District 127 officials to fire Bowen, claiming at the time he was verbally abusive toward his players and wasn't a good leader of teenagers. Administrators and board members declined to pursue Bowen's dismissal based on the complaints.
Belser said if being too tough and verbally abusive toward players cost Bowen his job last year, then about half of Illinois' high school basketball coaches should be dismissed as well.