MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Morgantown High School football coach John Bowers has stepped down from his role with the Mohigans to accept a new position as assistant principal at South Middle School in Monongalia County.
The board of education approved Bowers’ appointment on Tuesday night.
Bowers has spent the last 12 seasons as the Mohigans’ head coach, leading Morgantown to a pair of state titles and back-to-back perfect seasons in 2004 and 2005.
“Timing is everything. I want to change a little bit. I’ve been at Morgantown High School for 18 years and I was ready for a professional challenge,” Bowers told WAJR-AM.
Aside from being the head football coach for Morgantown High, Bowers has been a special education teacher and the opportunity to move into an administration role gives him the chance to branch out and have an impact on a larger group of kids.
“I’ve been blessed to win some state championships as an assistant coach, head coach and a player and you can’t get any higher than that. You’re always chasing the unattainable, so it seems. Professionally it was just time for me to not be judged by wins and losses.”
Stepping down from the full-time responsibility of being a head football coach will also free up Bowers to spend more time with his young sons, who are ages 10 and 8 and are becoming more active in sports, and allows him the opportunity to still scratch that itch to coach and spend time with his family.
“I’m at a freshman football game and they’re playing flag football or something. I’m at a coach’s clinic and they’re playing basketball and I’m getting text message updates. That’s just not right.”
Bowers addressed his team Wednesday morning, which he admitted was difficult.
“I love practice. I love being with the kids. The games are the things I don’t like. That’s when there’s stress and live rounds and things of that nature. I’m going to miss practice every day with the kids. They keep you young and they’re funny. I’m going to miss practice a lot.”
As for the future of the Morgantown football team, a committee will likely be formed consisting of retiring Athletics Director Dan Erenrich, incoming A.D. Nathan Haynes and Principal Paul Mihalko to find the next head coach.