Remembering Beloved Jr. Kings Coach Jack Bowkus

On March 28, after a three-year fight with stomach cancer, renowned L.A. Junior Kings head coach Jack Bowkus passed away. His legacy and love for the game lives on through the strong Southern California hockey network, those he has coached, and his son Austin.
"To me, my father changed the game of hockey in California, by being different than almost every other coach. He wasn't just a hockey coach, he was also a life coach, not just for me, but many of the other kids as well," Austin said.
"He tried to not only teach us hockey but also teach us about life, and how to fight through adversity. That was his goal, to make us good hockey players but also make us good men. I think he was the best at what he did, he has respect from much of the hockey world."
"His goal was to make kids better no matter who they were and if they wanted to learn he would teach them, he would have 8-10 kids on the ice for a private lesson, and sometimes maybe only 4-5 of the kids would pay, but he didn't care, he would tell kids to come even if they couldn't afford it, because he wanted to help kids get better, but only if they wanted to better themselves."
"Throughout my playing career and life my father would always preach about fighting through adversity no matter how bad the circumstances were, and he truly showed me what he meant by that after he was diagnosed," Austin continued.

His fellow Jr. Kings Coach Shawn Pitcher remembers their times coaching together with fondness, especially when Jack coached the 1989-born team, which traveled all over North America and competed with the best of the best.
"Always remember running into the Toronto Marles everywhere we went it always seemed like Wave and Marles alway going against one another at the end of every tourney. Created quite a rival. They had Sam Gagne, John Tavares who was playing up for them just to mention a few. It would go back and fourth Wave Marles."
"Jack's team had six or seven players go on to play in the WHL and another six or seven kids go on to play at colleges, plus a few kids go on to get drafted in the NHL. It was a great job of development from Jack with that many kids off of one team having success in the great game he loved and had such an impact on."

Ryan Lauderdale has Jack to thank for being the main reason why he's in the hockey world, and is forever grateful for his friendship and support.
"When I made a career shift to hockey, he was the one (along with Robbie McDonald- former LAJK coach) that brought me in and opened doors," Lauderdale said. "Those doors eventually led me to becoming the director of training for the LA Jr. Kings, training multiple NHL players and having a 1st round draft pick in the 2020 NHL Draft."
"One thing that made Jack a great coach was his nose for talent on and off the ice. His legacy lives on with everyone he gave an opportunity to and helped be a better player, coach and person."

It's clear that through those he touched, Jack's legacy will live on. Starting with his son Austin, and trickling down through friends, colleagues and the kids he coached.
"I watched him fight for 2 years against this awful disease we call cancer, and that whole time he did it with a smile on his face always ready for the next challenge that was thrown at him, that is something I will always admire," Austin said. "I am proud to be able to call Jack Bowkus my father and I hope one day I can live up to the Bowkus name!"