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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, February 13, 2003

Al Rowan was 'Mr. Track' in Hawai'i

By Dennis Anderson
Advertiser Staff Writer

Al Rowan, who taught values and developed champions, died early yesterday at Straub Hospital.

Al Rowan coached Olympic-caliber athletes but was most proud of helping all of his kids "reach their potential... whether they win or lose (a race)," he once said.

Rowan family photo

Rowan, 76, had suffered two heart attacks since Feb. 1.

He was the dominant coach in high school track and field in Hawai'i, winning 21 state championships and 30 Interscholastic League of Honolulu titles in 37 years as head boys coach at Punahou School.

Rowan coached Olympians Henry Marsh and Dacre Bowen, but was most proud of instilling values in all of his athletes "to do their best ... to see if they can reach their potential ... whether they win or lose ... ," he said in a 1992 Advertiser interview.

Doug Bennett, who coached and taught with Rowan at Punahou for 26 years, yesterday said, "Al got the most out of great athletes as well as also-rans. He took care of the little guy as well as the future Olympians. He cared about all the kids."

Doug Kilpatrick, who was associated with Rowan as student-athlete, fellow coach and meet official for 48 years, called him "the personification of track and field."

"Al had the unique ability to create and develop individual talent and merge that talent into (championship) teams."

Ford King, who coached with Rowan for 20 years, said, "He was able to get the best out of everybody he ever coached, not by driving or pushing or forcing but by encouraging them."

Punahou often won championships with few first-place finishes, but superior depth and strategy.

"He was the combination of technician, strategist, organizer and motivator," Bennett said. "He left no stone unturned as head coach."

When Rowan retired in 1992, Punahou ranked ninth in the United States in state high school track and field championships. He was chosen National High School Boys Track Coach of the Year in 1986.

"He was outstanding in analysis of an athlete's talents and at developing those talents to peak performance at league and state championship meets," said Ralph Martinson, who was Punahou athletic director during most of Rowan's tenure.

"He was, affectionately, 'Big Al' to his athletes," Martinson said. "He was a wonderfully kind and caring man about his students and his athletes, very positive in terms of dealing with people and meticulous in his planning and his teaching."

Rowan's team won the first Hawai'i High School Athletic Association championship in 1959, and won 12 of 14 between 1967 and 1980.

But Rowan said, "Winning a championship is not the most important thing. It's whether the kid has reached his potential."

"The rewards of coaching come when you get them started doing something that's positive and they go from that point onward. . . that's education," Rowan said in the 1992 interview.

Marsh, a member of the 1972 state champions, said, "Few people shape our destinies and Al was one of those people for me. I was fortunate that I got the guidance that led to an Olympic career, No. 1 (steeplechase runner) in the world and the (U.S. Track and Field) Hall of Fame.

"But more important, there were hundreds and hundreds of other athletes who did not make it to the Olympics, but he had an impact on their lives and what kind of people they were."

Rowan started high school cross country in Hawai'i and coached Punahou to the first boys state championship in 1965.

Rowan himself ran track at University of Southern California, where he graduated in 1951. He taught three years at Mid-Pacific Institute before moving to Punahou in 1955.

He was born in Pa'ia, Maui, in 1926 and graduated from Maui High, then entered the service.

"I was constantly impressed with Al's outer island work ethic, reliability, and insistence on values," Kilpatrick said. "Al always upheld his end of the bargain."

In addition to coaching, Rowan taught physical education and biology at Punahou and was chairman of the P.E. department.

After his retirement from Punahou, Rowan taught kinesiology classes at University of Hawai'i for six years.

He remained involved in track as official starter for weekly high school meets, league and state championship meets and at UH.

And he continued to be "Mr. Track" in Hawai'i, an invaluable resource to coaches, fans and newspaper reporters. Kilpatrick noted, "If someone needed answers, comments, perspectives or historical references, there was only one answer — 'call Al Rowan,' "

Rowan and wife Janet, who died in 1995, were active in the Hawai'i Kennel Club and the Fox Terrier Club of Hawai'i for about 20 years.

In fact, Rowan and his daughter, Lindy, were walking his fox terrier, Kelly, when he was stricken Feb. 1.

In addition to Lindy, a Honolulu physician, Rowan is survived by a son, William, a teacher and coach in Medford, Ore., and a brother, Jack, in Huntington Beach, Calif.

A memorial service will be held at 5 p.m. Monday at the Punahou School chapel.

Private family services over his ashes will be held later.