By Derrian Carter
Despite a global pandemic, civil unrest in the country, and a winless season in his first season as CAU’s head football coach, Tim Bowens is optimistic and prepared for the future of CAU football.
All SIAC schools deal with COVID-19, but Bowens and his staff are ready to overcome the obstacle. “We use the term [that] you adapt, adjust and overcome,” he said.
They have developed creative activities for his team to reach their full potential. They have formed accountability teams to ensure their players are performing well on and off the field. Each team earns points for actions such as voter registration, doing well on assignments, players’ workplace photos, and community service. “You [have] to make sure that you’re maximizing their full potential,” Bowens said.
When George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, was killed by police in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020, protests sparked around the world and struck the sports world. “It’s a defining moment for our country for our young men, CAU [and] Atlanta,” Bowens said. Players reached out to Bowens to see what they could do and how they could make matters better during the unrest.
“I’ve never been a part of [these discussions]. I didn’t know you had these conversations with your men,” he said. Bowens, along with seniors on the team, encouraged players to make meaningful change within themselves, their family, and their community before changing the world.
Additionally, players participated in protests in their communities to voice their displeasure with the continued unarmed killings of African Americans. Bowens encouraged his players to protest, but he reminded them to practice the necessary protocols and make sure they know why they are protesting.
“I want them to make sure they know why they’re protesting,” he said. “Don’t just go protesting because everyone else is protesting.” He also supports other forms of protest like cleaning up CAU’s campus and getting people registered to vote. “We’re trying to make sure that we’re the change by educating our young men, not only educating on tough things in life but how we should operate on a day to day basis as young [African American men],” he said.
Many college football programs have little to no fans in attendance due to the pandemic. Bowens and his staff plan to establish a level of consistency to overcome the potential of no fans at CAU Panther Stadium. “I’ve always believed that if you can compete to the standard every day, you [will] bring a level of consistency whether it's one person in the stand or 1,000 or 100,000.”
In his second year as CAU’s head coach, Bowens aims to bounce back with a rejuvenated roster and a year of head coaching at the collegiate level under his belt when football returns.
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