The feeling of comradery washes through the air as the rough brown ball lands with the thump in the hands of someone who runs with a smile of confidence. The ball gets passed from hand to hand and although nervous energy shoots through the veins of a player a grin also forms because he is prepared.

Bowie made some history after an eventful 2016 season. Varsity coach Jeff Ables hit his 100th win mark, winning ten games for the first time in school history then winning eleven games by district championship and area championship. Ables, the hardworking staff of bowie football, and the players help unite the bowie football community creating lasting memories and lifelong lessons, senior and player Ronnie Garcia describes.

“We have had a very successful season and we have made many improvements throughout the season,” Garcia said.

Senior Collin Macias has felt more confident going into the games because of all the hard work put in from the coaches and players.

“Through the long season we have maintained focus and enthusiasm by having fun at practice and treating every game like it could be our last,” Macias said. “We go well prepared into every game because of the prep the coaches put into each opponent and it really helps us be calm when it comes to game time because we already know our jobs when we get into the field.”

The cause of the wins was from the leadership from the head coach, Ables, who has dedicated 29 years of his life to students at Bowie, assistant coach Bowman Branyon explains his hard work.

“Nobody cares more about the players in our program than he does. He coached me and five other of our coaches as high school players and he is a big reason of why we all decided to be coaches. It is really nice to see him get recognized for his accomplishments,” Branyon said.

For Ables, being a coach comes with its own rewards.

“The best part of my job are the kids and the players and the relationships you build with them and we have a great staff here,” Ables said. “Also it’s what I love to do, I think it’s was what I was meant to do, and I don’t know anything else I’d rather do.”

Senior and quarterback Wade Smith is honored to be a part of Coach Able’s success and is thankful for the improvements he has caused.

“Coach Ables is a very kind, serious, and trustworthy man, and this has made him have so much success in his career,” Smith said. “It was only a matter of time before he earned that 100th win, and it was an honor and very special to me to be able to win that game for him all the way up in Abilene.”

Ables has reached a rare attained achievement but says his real prize are the relationships he has made.

“I reached the 100th win by the players no doubt and my coaches, I mean it’s a neat deal buts its not something that I dwell on or a situation where I was counting the wins,” Ables said. “It’s nice but the most important thing is the relationship you have with your players over the years and your coaches.”

Winning is important to many but others also gain a lot more lessons out of the sport.

“Some things that have made the season memorable in addition to our wins, is having made lifelong friends with my teammates,” Garcia.

Not many has reached 100 wins in a career therefore it takes strong leader mentality and lots of devotion and dedication.

“Coach Ables has affected me as a player by giving me a no quit mentality and teaching me and the team to always push past our limits,” Garcia said. “It’s great that we can help coach Ables get his 100th win because he’s helped us so much in our football career at Bowie.”

Smith has been impacted very much so by Ables this season because of the lessons he has taught.

“Coach Ables has been one of the most influential people I’ve met at Bowie because of his emphasis on having good character and his determination to improve all of his players in any way that he can.” Smith said. “He has made me a better player by emphasizing the importance of discipline in life and on the field, and these teachings have carried over to the team as well. I’m very blessed to call him my coach.”

This last year could have presented difficulties because of the change of districts but the team powered through and worked hard to adapt to the alteration.

“The change in districts was something we had to adjust to because although we lost very good teams to other districts, we welcomed in new teams that were very good, and it was a challenge for us to play these new teams, but it was also very exciting,”Smith said.

Without the coaches and the players comradeship through the season nothing can be accomplished to Bowie’s higher standards.

“Bowie is a special place to all of us and our desire to do well and make our community proud is what motivates us all season long,” Branyon said.

The overall goal through the season is just to try there best and grow as a team and then  to win.

“It is our non district season and we are going to use that to get better every week and use that to prepare for districts because that’s when it really matters, you really want to win all those games,” Ables said. “But the bigger deal is that you want to get better and grow you want to get your team to where they are playing at their best towards the end of the year and I think we did that.”

The football team could not  have had its winning season without the unlimited backing of the community.

“The Bowie community has been pouring out love and support for the program and team, and we wouldn’t be where we are without this unconditional support,” Smith said. “Whether it be fellow classmates, teachers, or people seen at the grocery store, people are quick to congratulate us on our season and wish us good luck, and it is a blessing to have so many people in our corner as we try to keep our season going strong.”

Without the staffs devotion and players love of the sport the football team couldn’t have had such a successful season.

“The Bowie community is awesome and is a big role to the team’s success,” Macias said. “It has been a great year to be a Bulldog.”

Because the season can be so grueling the team had to stay united to advance.

“Bowie is a family. In particular, our football program is a family,” Branyon said. “There are six former players on staff as well as three coaches that have been here since the school opened and it is really unusual to have that type of chemistry on a staff, Bowie is a special place to all of us and our desire to do well and make our community proud is what motivates us all season long.”

Overall this season’s outcome is one of the most successful seasons in the school history and will always be marked by the leadership, hard work,  and determination of the players and coaches throughout the football Community.

“This season has been really special,” Branyon said.  “We accomplished many milestones for our program such as Coach Ables’ 100th win, 11 wins, District/Bi-District/Area Championships.”