PREP BASKETBALL
Bowlin leaves Springdale Har-Ber, takes Melbourne job
Springdale Har-Ber boys basketball coach Scott Bowlin will be leaving Northwest Arkansas.
He accepted a similar position at Melbourne High School. The hire was made official by the school board on Tuesday night.
Har-Ber lost in the first round of the Class 6A state tournament this season, finishing 10-15. Bowlin leaves after guiding the Wildcats to a share of two conference titles and two state semifinal appearances in six seasons. He came to Har-Ber after leading Greene County Tech to a pair of state titles and a state runner-up finish in 10 years.
"I love Har-Ber and I'm going to miss our kids," Bowlin said. "I made a lot of great friends here that will be lifetime friends."
The Bearkatz did not have a senior on a team that finished 9-17 overall last season, including 7-7 in the 2A-3 Conference. Bowlin will be familiar with his opponents in the league since he grew up and started his coaching career in Northeast Arkansas.
He said is looking forward to the new challenge.
"I think the small-town feel is good," Bowlin said. "I'm sorta going back to my roots where I started. They've had a really, really good basketball tradition in the past and I want to see if I can bring that back.
"I want to make these kids proud of their tradition and make them men as well. I've learned a lot in the last 15 or 20 years. I just want to be able to go in there and turn it around and also enjoy it. And I'm going to do both."
-- Paul Boyd • @NWAPaulb
PREP WRESTLING
West heading back to Springdale Har-Ber
Nika West said he's just following his heart by returning to Springdale Har-Ber as the wrestling coach.
West left Har-Ber three years ago to take the same job at Fayetteville, but inquired about the opening a week ago and was offered the job on Monday.
He will return to guide a Har-Ber program, which he led to a pair of state championships in 2012 and 2016. But the move is all about family, West said.
"My family is here," West said. "I live in Springdale and my daughters go to elementary school here. My heart's right here. I've always tried to hold true to what Bobby Bowden said when I heard him speak in 2006. The three things he held as priorities were faith, family and then his job.
"As my daughters get older, they are able to travel with me more, and I can spend a little more time with them."
West was appreciative of his opportunity at Fayetteville, but also excited for the chance at returning to Har-Ber.
"I think I grew a lot and learned a lot in my three years at Fayetteville," West said. "That can only help me stepping back in this role at Har-Ber."
-- Paul Boyd • @NWAPaulb
Sports on 06/05/2019