Bowman named Chelts’ coach

Cheltenham graduate was an assistant girls coach at Souderton Area High School

Ben Bowman is heading back to his alma mater after helping Souderton become one of the top girls basketball teams in District 1.

After spending more than a dozen years with the Indians program, Bowman was announced as the new head coach for the Cheltenham girls basketball team in a press release June 12.

“Cheltenham High School Athletics is excited about the return to campus of Ben Bowman as the new varsity girls basketball coach,” said Cheltenham athletic director John Creighton in the release. “Mr. Bowman has coached at a very successful girls program at Souderton Area High School and we believe that success will carry over to CHS.”

Bowman graduated from Cheltenham in 1997 and that year as a senior point guard for a boys squad that reached the District 1 second round. Bowman takes over the Panthers girls program after Brendan Nolan coached the team the last six seasons.

“Thank you to former Coach Brendan Nolan for his years of service to the CHS Boys and Girls Basketball teams, and I wish him good luck in his future endeavors,” Creighton said.

Bowman, who has been a pharmaceutical researcher for BristolMyers Squibb the past 15 years, was a part of the Souderton girls program the last 13 seasons — the Indians reaching the PIAA Class 6A semifinals the last two seasons.

It is the high level of success Cheltenham is looking to return to — the Panthers were a district and state powerhouse under legendary coach Bob Schaefer, who racked up 727 in 31 seasons at Cheltenham before retiring in 2012.

“We have a tremendous alumnae, wonderful parents and a supportive athletic department, which will help us to a bright future,” said Bowman in the release. “The goal is to build a respected program on and off the court, which is the true meaning of Panther Pride.”

Bowman had a 131-38 record as Souderton’s junior varsity coach and last season at the varsity level stepped in for head coach Lynn Carroll when Carroll finished her pregnancy. Bowman went 7-0 as Big Red’s interim coach — his first game a 48-45 double-overtime time win over Central Bucks East Jan. 23 then followed that with a 57-35 victory over eventual Class A state champ Jenkintown the next day.

Souderton finished the season 29-3, winning the Suburban One League Continental Conference, SOL tournament and District 1-6A championships and advanced to the state semis for a second consecutive year, falling to eventual state champ Upper Dublin.

“Early on, success is about creating a positive culture that the

players can rally around. Understanding this is a team game and playing as one can take us far,” Bowman said.. “Once that mindset is established, I would love to add to the championship banners hanging in our gym. Our

goal is a long-sustained success that will be talked about much like the teams that came before ours.”

Under Schaefer, the Panthers were district heavyweight and a state tournament fixture — winning four District 1 titles and two PIAA titles (2000, 2007) and made the PIAA playoffs 24 times.

Nolan went 80-59

and had above-.500 seasons in last five years at Cheltenham, but the Panthers could not find much success in districts — only reaching the second round once (2015). Last season, Cheltenham finished 1310 overall (7-7 in an SOL American) and lost to Neshaminy in the first round of the District 1-6A tournament.