CHL Leaders: Scott Bowles turns co-op into career as environmental scientist
Well-travelled may be the best way to describe Scott Bowles’ hockey experience, which began in the 2003-04 campaign with the Western Hockey League’s Calgary Hitmen.
A relatively close move for the product of Creston, B.C., it was also the first of many that soon included three other stops during Bowles’ days in the junior hockey circuit. In his second year, Bowles moved back to his native British Columbia following a deal with the Prince George Cougars, with whom he suited up for part of three seasons. His tenure with the Cougars counted a career-high 49 games during the 2005-06 campaign, plus another five in the postseason.
During his overage year, roster limitations then forced Bowles to move again in a rare cross-league shift that saw him join the Ontario Hockey League’s Windsor Spitfires and Owen Sound Attack before ultimately returning to Prince George to finish the 2006-07 season.
Bowles wouldn’t have had it any other way, and it’s a time in his life which he reflects on positively.
“I got caught up in the 21-year-old situation like a lot of guys do. We were only allowed three (overagers) in Prince George and I was the odd man out,” Bowles told Junior Hockey Magazine as part of its CHL Leaders segment. “It was a bit of a hectic year but, all in all, it was a good experience and good memories.”
His days in junior soon drawing to a close, Bowles elected to attend the University of Lethbridge. The opportunity allowed him to pursue an education – Bowles graduated with a Bachelor of Science – while still being involved in his true passion as he suited up for five seasons with the varsity Pronghorns. For Bowles, it was another stop on the hockey map, and the penultimate before a short stint in the pro ranks at the end of his final varsity season when he played two games with the Arizona Sundogs of the former Central Hockey League.
Bowles soon returned to his alma mater where an exciting co-op opportunity gave him an entrance into his new industry of environmental science and ultimately paved the way for his current position. Today, the former netminder is a part of Advisian, a leader in the global resources industry with two Canadian-based offices in Calgary and Burnaby, B.C. Bowles’ role demands effective project management and attention to detail, both of which are among the many traits he developed over his days in junior hockey.
“Time management was the biggest thing,” Bowles recalled. “There are responsibilities you have to your hockey team, to your family and home life, and your extended family being your billets, as well as being part of the community. I always took pride in the community I played in. You want to represent them in the best possible manner.”
Listen to Scott Bowles’ full interview with Junior Hockey Magazine here.