Corridor of Fame school soccer coach Bobby Bowden introduced Wednesday he has been identified with a terminal medical situation.
“I’ve all the time tried to serve God’s goal for my life, on and off the sector, and I’m ready for what’s to return,” Bowden mentioned in a press release launched to information shops, together with The Related Press. “My spouse Ann and our household have been life’s best blessing. I’m at peace.”
The 91-year-old Bowden was hospitalized final October after he examined optimistic for COVID-19. The optimistic take a look at got here a number of days after returning to his Tallahassee house from a prolonged hospital keep for an an infection in his leg. He didn’t disclose his situation in his assertion.
“Coach Bowden constructed a soccer dynasty and raised the nationwide profile of Florida State College, and he did it with dignity, class and a humorousness,” Florida State president John Thrasher mentioned in a press release. “Though his accomplishments on the sector are unmatched, his legacy will go far past soccer. His religion and household have all the time come first, and he’s an unimaginable position mannequin for his gamers and followers alike. He’s beloved by the FSU household.”
Bowden retired following the 2009 season with a Gator Bowl win over West Virginia in Florida State’s twenty eighth straight postseason look.
Bowden had needed to teach one other season to proceed this pursuit of 400 wins, however Florida State officers didn’t renew his contract. He was changed by then-offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher.
“Anybody who has had the chance to be round Coach Bowden is aware of what it’s prefer to know an individual who has his priorities in the suitable order, who loves life and values integrity and honor.”
Mississippi State soccer coach Mike Leach, the architect of among the most prolific offences within the historical past of the sport, mentioned Bowden has been an instance to each coach.
“He is a kind of guys that made us all need to coach after we had been youthful, made it thrilling,” Leach mentioned. “Coach Bowden threw the ball earlier than most individuals had been inclined to. Once I was younger, in highschool, junior excessive, I used to observe his groups as a result of they are a group that was liable to upset groups forward of them, and that is as they began throwing the ball round, grew to become increasingly more explosive.”
