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<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"LONDON \u2014 Thursday night will be a night to remember as Laurel County basketball legend and Hall of Famer Roy Bowling is honored for his contributions to the sport.\u00a0
The 88-year-old Bowling, who led Laurel County High School’s girls basketball program to four state titles and a remarkable 73-game win streak, will have the South Laurel High School basketball court dedicated in his name. The court will now be known as the “Roy Bowling Court,” a fitting tribute to his legacy.
The dedication will take place before the tip-off of the North Laurel vs. South Laurel varsity basketball game.
For Bowling, who also coached at Louisville Mercy, and North Laurel, having the court named after him is a dream come true.
\u201cI didn\u2019t ask for this and I\u2019m totally surprised,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s something that\u2019s unreal. I am totally humbled and tickled to death that it\u2019s happened. I\u2019m really happy about it.
\u201cIt doesn\u2019t (happen every day),\u201d he added. \u201cIt seems like it was yesterday, I just had started coaching. I had a lot of good athletes and friends that helped me accomplish this. Both teams have carried on the Laurel County tradition, and both have to been to state. A lot of good and talented players in this county, and I pull for both teams, and when they play each other, I\u2019m neutral. This is going to be a special night.\u201d
Bowling posted a 403-61 record as Laurel County\u2019s coach, guiding the Lady Cardinals to 12 48th District titles, eight 12th Region titles, and state championships in 1977, 1978, 1979, and 1987.
\u201cRoy Bowling is one of the main reasons the South Laurel job interested me when it came open,\u201d South Laurel coach Chris Souder said. \u201cThe tradition he built in the Laurel County program was special and there just aren\u2019t many schools that can boast what he accomplished.\u00a0
\u201cIt was long overdue and just a small token of appreciation to his legacy,\u201d he added. \u201cSo every time our kids step on the floor it is an easy reminder of what they are representing. It is hard for young players to understand tradition and really what that jersey represents but now they have no excuse. All the pictures on that championship wall are great, but we are now bringing it to the floor. It\u2019s just an honor to be able to even coach on the same floor he once dominated. Coach (Eddie) Mahan and I thought it would be a great gesture on his behalf to play the first game on the new floor and it involve all of Laurel County. It will be such a special night and I\u2019m just glad our team gets to be a small part of it.\u201d
Mahan said he was excited when Souder had mentioned having the court dedication before tip-off of the North Laurel vs. South Laurel matchup.\u00a0
\u201cWhen you talk about Laurel County tradition, \u00a0coach Roy Bowling is going to be brought up. He has had a great career. I\u2019m glad that we are being able to play in the game with South because this is more than a North\/South thing, this is Laurel County tradition, and he accomplished so much, and is so deserving. I know the impact he has had on so many people\u2019s lives in Laurel County, and he deserves to have his this court dedication.\u201d
South Laurel boys\u2019 basketball coach Jeff Davis echoed both Souder\u2019s and Mahan\u2019s sentiments, and is happy to see Bowling receive the court dedication honor.
\u201cIt\u2019s not only what coach Bowling has done on the court that makes him so special, it\u2019s what he has done off the court,\u201d he said. \u201cHe has contributed to the Laurel County community by helping young men and women become successful in life. In my 13 years here in this community, he has touched so many people in a million different ways, by the stories that I have been told. He is a legend as a coach, teacher, mentor, husband, father and as a friend. Not many people have or ever touched the number of lives has he has. So honoring this court after him is just a small thank you to him for all that he has done.
\u201cMany years ago Coach Bowling was eating at a local restaurant and I happened to be there,\u201d Davis added. \u201cHe yelled at me to come sit with him and I remember it like it was yesterday. We were struggling and I was pretty down. He put his arm around me and said, \u2018Coach stay true to who you are and continue to do things the right way, it will pay off trust me.\u2019 To this day, I never forget that moment and to have him around our program, coaches and kids is something I cherish every day. When he misses a practice or game, there is something missing but when he is there, it\u2019s always better.
\u201cI personally want to tell Coach this,\u201d he continued. \u201cThere is no better person that has ever done this job than you, congratulations on this honor that you most definitely deserve. Thank you for all that you do and continue to do. I love you coach.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n