February 5, 2007
North Eastern Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Coach Michael "Doc" Bowser, Cazenovia College
CAZENOVIA, NY - Most people slow down when they get a little older, but Cazenovia College men’s basketball head coach Michael “Doc” Bowser is just getting started.
The 62-year-old cardiologist has always had a passion for basketball. Bowser has played the game his whole life in recreation leagues and pick-up games through his undergraduate work at Holy Cross and while receiving medical training at the University of Maryland and SUNY Upstate Medical University. As a doctor, he continued to play and often landed in the emergency room with a sprained ankle, a black eye or a broken nose.
In medical circles around Syracuse, N.Y., where he practiced, Bowser started to earn a reputation as an authority on basketball, and people constantly asked what he thought of ‘last night’s game’.
“I was thinking to myself, I don’t have a clue,” said Bowser. “The more people asked me these questions, the more I realized that people who think they know a lot about basketball really don’t. People who just go to games and watch games, doesn’t make you an expert on basketball. I started reading books and watching tapes and asking why this coach is doing this or that.”
About 12 years ago, Bowser caught the coaching bug. He took courses to get certified as a coach in the State of New York, and then started coaching middle school and junior varsity, eventually working his way up to an assistant for a high school team. Then, connections he made as a cardiologist took him to the next level.
Bowser had performed a heart procedure on father of Cazenovia’s then-head coach Todd Widrick about 10 years ago. A few years later, Widrick’s father needed another procedure and Bowser’s partner did it, but asked about “Doc”.
The colleague told Widrick’s father, “Crazy Dr. Bowser -- he’s off trying to be a coach.”
Word got back to Widrick, who soon called Bowser and asked him to be a volunteer assistant on his staff at Cazenovia College. Bowser served three years as an assistant, and then when Widrick left the post, “Doc” took the helm, becoming a first-time head coach at the age of 59.
“Since I got into coaching, I gained so much more respect for coaches and all that goes into it,” said Bowser. “The recruiting and planning how your kids are going to develop, and all the different things -- I’ve been amazed at how much time it takes.”
Bowser knows about long days after working 14-hour days as a cardiologist for 20 years, but now he has been able to create a balance for both of his careers. Years ago, before he ever dreamed he would be coaching, Bowser had decided to stop doing procedures at 55. He is part of a group practice that enables him to solely do office consultations, allowing him to set his schedule.
In his third season as a head coach, Bowser continues to meet the goals he has set for the team. When he took the job, there were only six players on the team, but Bowser started planning how he would build the program.
“The first year I wanted to win six games and we did,” said Bowser. “Last year, I got a couple recruits and wanted to win eight games and we did. This year, I want to win in double-digits … “
The squad met Bowser’s goal last week, and are currently 11-9 and in second-place of the North Eastern Athletic Conference North Division standings with an 8-4 mark.
In addition to winning on the court, Bowser wants to share his life experiences with his players and remind them how lucky they are to have the opportunity to play college basketball.
“When you’ve spent 30 years doing life and death things with people, and hopefully saving some lives and unfortunately seeing some that you can’t save, it puts basketball in a different perspective,” said Bowser. “I think that’s an interesting thing that I share with my kids -- this is basketball and we have to do this as well as we can and try to win, but there is a lot more to life than that.”
Bowser’s second career also gives him a chance to do what he loves -- play basketball -- whenever he can.
“I still play, and I have a metal hip and I play with 20-year-olds and 18-year-olds and 25-year-olds,” said Bowser. “I’m not saying I’m great, but I’m competitive. I always want to play with people who are better than me and younger than me, because that what makes you better. My orthopedic surgeon says that I need my other hip done, but he won’t do it because I abuse my body too much.
And Bowser is not ready to give up playing basketball -- or coaching -- anytime soon. He intends to coach until he’s at least 70 and has patterned his program after his coaching idol Bobby Knight.
“I want good students and good players and players that will work hard,” said Bowser.
Bowser, like his team, continues to acquire knowledge about basketball, improving strategies and game management skills with every contest.
“I’m learning, just like the players,” said Bowser. “I told them the other day we need to learn how to win, and your coach needs to learn how to be a better coach.”
Written by: Amy Farnum, NCAASports.com Staff Writer