BREAKING CAMP: Rams' Mr. R (for resiliency)

 

 

By AARON SNYDER

The Independent

 

RACELAND Last fall, Raceland’s front line was hard to crack.

As it turns out, so is Greg Bowling.

 

As the Rams plowed over previous school marks en route to an unprecedented state semifinal game in rowdy Williamsburg, Bowling beamed with pride, even though he was a season away from his chance.

 

Seemingly poised to start his junior year, Raceland coaches opted to move eventual Georgetown signee Mac Boggs to defensive end last summer. The switch bumped Bowling to a backup role, but he didn’t let it bother him.

 

Bowling’s immunity to life’s interruptions had strengthened substantially throughout his youth years.

 

He lost his dad, Ray, to a heart attack at age 7.

 

While a sixth-grader, his mom, Barbara, fell victim to cancer in her lymph nodes.

 

Suddenly, football became a lot less appealing for Greg Bowling.

 

“My mom’s the one that got me started playing football,” he said. The memory of Barbara induced a smile under the bill of his camouflage hat.

 

“She was real big into football. After she passed away, I didn’t know if I was going to keep playing or not.”

 

Bowling stuck with it, but his interest once again faded a few years later.

 

“My sophomore year, I was thinking about quitting, but I was like nuh-uh, my mom would want me to keep playing,” Bowling said.

 

His mom still consumes a chunk of his mind, especially when he steps inside the Friday-night lines.

 

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Great player and an even better kid.

Great Article, thanks for posting Ram. A special kid, a special, loving mother.

 

On a side note....I really like the Daily Independent sports writer A. Snyder. Snyder's articles are informative, positive about h.s. football and the kids. Always class.