SPORTS
Bowie hires new softball coach
The Bowie softball program will be led by a new face this next school year.
Griffin Fields comes to Bowie after spending the last six years at Iowa Park. Before that he spent time at Muenster.
Fields spent his time as the assistant coach in softball at Iowa Park though he was the head girl’s basketball coach along with being the girl’s sports coordinator.
At Muenster before that he was the head softball coach and said he always wanted to get back to leading in that sport.
At Bowie he will also serve as an assistant girl’s basketball coach as well as leading the girls cross country team.
“I’ve known Coach (Matthew) Miller a long time,” Fields said. “Loved the job he does on the basketball side of things and with the girl’s program. It was just time for a change. I’ve been a head softball coach before and I always said I would like to get back to being the head softball position. Bowie was an opportunity where me and Miller could work together in basketball and also an opportunity for me to lead a softball program again.”
With his youngest two kids, Kyler and Gracyn, recently graduated from Iowa Park, the opportunity to leave for a good situation was now open for Fields.
“Being in the same district with Bowie the last two years and watching their program, especially this year with some good young pieces on the softball side of things that I think we can mold and grow and be successful with,” Fields said.
Field’s hiring allows previous Coach Heather Daniell to take a step back so she will have more time to go see her daughter play softball at Wayland Baptist University.
“She was looking to spend more time with her family and be able to go watch her kid play college softball more, so it was just a good fit for the softball program to let him lead that,” Athletic Director Tyler Price said.
The Lady Rabbits went 3-9 in district last year as the young team, featuring several key underclassmen that graduated only two seniors, showed some promise and increased competitiveness as the season wore on. Bowie last made the playoffs in 2019.
“I’ve seen a lot of really good softball over the last six years, being really fortunate at Iowa Park to see what it takes and learn from Coach (Eric) Simmons,” Fields said. “I think there pieces here and some kids that really want this program to be on the uptick and looked at in the area as one that is going to be competitive every time we step on the field.”
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.
Saint Jo’s Firecracker 5K welcomed 100 runners for its 16th year on July 4th.
According to runsignup.com, Old Jo’s Firecracker 5K saw 100 runners of all ages register to kick off in downtown Saint Jo.
Brayden Willett, 14, Nocona, was the top male finisher with a time of 19:02.6. Sarah Rainey, 35, Saint Jo, was the top female finisher with 21:47.1.
In the male nine and under division, I. Miller, nine, Muenster, repeated his first place win from 2023 with at time of 34:52.8. E. Thomas, eight, no town listed, also repeated her win with a time of 31:58.5.
Emry Raney-Cavnar, 14, Ardmore, OK, won the male 10-14 group and E. Christensen, 11, Decatur, took the female race. In the male 15-19 division Luke Gehrig, 17, Muenster, won, while Sophia Christensen, 15, Decatur, took the ladies’ title.
See all the results and more photos in the weekend Bowie News.
Special appreciation to Jennifer Gaston Panther Photography for use of her photos.
Major League Baseball and the Texas Rangers have planned a full week of activities for 2024 All-Star Week taking place in Arlington, Fort Worth and the North Texas region from July 12-16.
The 94th Midsummer Classic will be played at Globe Life Field on July 16, marking the second All-Star Game to be hosted by the Rangers following the 1995 All-Star Game at The Ballpark in Arlington.
HBCU Swingman Classic: July 12
All-Star Commissioner’s Cup: July 12- July 15
Jennie Finch Classic: July 12-15.
All-Star Village: July 13-16
All-Star Futures Game: July 13
All-Star Celebrity Softball: July 13
MLB Draft Opening Night: July 14
Home Run Derby: July 15
All-Star Red Carpet Show:July 16
MLB All-Star Game presented: July 16
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
By JORDAN NEAL
[email protected]
When most young kids get into rodeo, the craziest ones might be lucky enough to ride small bucking horses and maybe bulls in their late teens.
Then there is 12-year-old Riggin Garrett, who is already pursuing what he hopes is his future career as a bullfighter. It is a dream he began trying out several years ago at rodeos in and around this county.
This is not the Spanish variation of bullfighting where they end up killing the bull, this is “freestyle bullfighting” which is more popular in America. Here bullfighters attempt to make the bull look a fool, using their athleticism to barely dodge them, put their hats on their heads, leap over them and sometimes use a barrel as a prop. They also work as protection for the cowboys during the bull riding to help save bucked off riders.
In competition, both the bullfighter and the bull are judged after a 60-70 second encounter with points scored due to the various maneuvers pulled off.
Garrett is the son of Keysha Avens and Shane Garrett, and will be going into seventh grade at Saint Jo. As long as he can remember, Garrett has always been interested in bullfighting.
Read the full feature in the mid-week Bowie News.
Top Photo by J. Kelley Photography.
CORRECTION – In the mid-week Bowie News, the photographer for the picture on the top of page 1B was misidentified. The photo came from J. Kelley Photography, not Andre Silva as stated. We apologize for this error.
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