Tom Cowan’s career as a volunteer and builder of the bowling industry covers a span of forty years beginning in the Youth Bowling Council at Kempview Bowl in Barrie in 1957.
Tom Cowan was born in Toronto in 1928. However, he spent his childhood in Niagara Falls, and from that city, joined Ontario Hydro in 1948. With Hydro, Tom was subsequently transferred to Kitchener in 1953, before settling in Barrie four years later. Through his neighbour, the late Steve Wiggins, Tom joined a bowling league at Kempview. Tom quickly became a league officer, experience that would be invaluable in his later years as a bowling executive. At the same time, Tom & his wife Marg, signed up their three children to the Youth League at Kempview and Tom was hooked.
With the beginning of a Provincial system of organized bowling in the early sixties, Kempview proprietor Art Love asked Tom to attend a York Simcoe meeting and he joined the board as northern representative of this large zone. By just the second meeting, Tom was name Vice President of the Association and, in 1970, he began a three year term as York Simcoe President.
During his Presidency, Tom spearheaded a membership drive and also teamed up with Al Richardson and Jimmy Hoult to develop the High-Low Doubles Tournament, which has become one of the most successful events on the O5PBA calendar.
By 1976, it became evident that the York Simcoe zone stretching from Richmond Hill to Georgian Bay, was too large to adequately serve the membership over such a vast area. As such, a new zone, Huronia, was born and Tom was a natural as its first President. From that first day, the Huronia zone has been recognized as one of the most efficient & well run zones in Ontario. Tom remained as President for three years and during that time, also moved to the Provincial Board as a director in 1979.
Despite Tom’s role in the leadership of Huronia and also his position on the Provincial Board, Tom never forgot his roots. Working with his former colleagues in York Simcoe, he developed the North/South Tournament which was held each year alternating between York Simcoe and Huronia. The Tournament was a huge success, but with the growth of both zones, we were unable to continue a joint North/South tournament. This year we will be having our thirty-first North/South tournament in February and we have Tom to thank.
At the Provincial level, Tom advanced to the position of Vice President in 1985 and, in 1987, when Eric Whittaker moved from the President to Chief Executive Officer, Tom was a natural to take his place. At this time, Tom also retired from Ontario Hydro and brought time, experience wisdom, empathy, understanding and the ability to lead the organization.
With Tom’s heavy administrative workload, his own personal bowling game has been sacrificed. However, it wasn’t always so. Tom, in his own right, has bowled a 1061 high triple and also won the Ontario Mixed Team championship with the York Simcoe zone in 1971.
While still living in Barrie, Tom retired from the volunteer ranks in 1997/98 and along with his wife of fifty-five years, Marg, who has been his partner, his supporter, and his best friend, keep close contact with their three children, Ron, Greg and Karen and also take pride in their first grandchild, Darryl.
Tom Cowan has been rewarded with a Life Membership in the Huronia and Ontario 5 Pin Bowlers’ Association’s and just last year, received the same recognition in the Canadian 5 Pin Bowlers’ Association. As well, Tom was inducted into the Ontario 5 Pin Hall of Fame in 1992 as a Builder and tonight we welcome him also into the Builders division of the York Simcoe 5 Pin Bowlers’ Association.