Chad Rowson

1. Chad Rowson Central Dewitt Hall of Fame Induction Class 2013

2. Inducted for Outstanding Contributions as an individual of Central High School

3. Biography In 1996 Chad Rowson reached the pinnacle of high school athletics by becoming the 3rd athlete in our history to win a State Wrestling Title.  Chad was and outstanding All-District football player and ran track, but wrestling is where he excelled.  He was a 4X Letterman and 2X Big Bend Conference Champion.  His 160 lb. Class 2A State Title set new standards for our program.  Chad was active in 4-H and the FFA.  He wrestled at Iowa State University from 1996-2000, earning Academic All-Big XII in 1997.  He graduated with a degree in Animal Ecology and has been a Park Ranger for Iowa’s Department of Natural Resource since 2003.

4. Article from the Observer Chad Rowson reached the pinnacle of high school athletics and was described as the epitome of what a coach looks for in an athlete. For those who have known the 1996 Central Community High School graduate, there are any number of reasons why he should be inducted into the Central Community High School Hall of Fame. His friends, fellow athletes and coaches all agree, because of his attitude and unique athletic ability, Rowson deserves to be recognized and his achievements remembered. “The guy was just a specimen of raw strength,” relates his long-time friend and fellow Central graduate Jeff Steines. “He was quick, too; a phenomenal athlete all the way around.” Now, as a coach himself living in Ames, Steines can appreciate the kind of student, athlete and person Rowson was. “He was a good student, had a great work ethic and was a great role model for youth,” he relates. Another friend and fellow athlete, Central grad Will Burke, says he can remember when he first met Rowson in the eighth grade. Even then, the impression he made was instant and impressive. “(Rowson) was our quarterback, and I was tight end,” Burke says. “I looked like a typical eighth-grader, tall and lanky. (Rowson) looked like he was 18. He pretty much dominated everyone at our age level.

5. The Observer (cont.) I always admired how determined he was to be the best he could possibly be.” That determination served Rowson well over the course of his high school and college careers. He graduated from Iowa State University with a bachelor of science degree in animal ecology and was hired as a park ranger for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources in 2003. Rowson’s list of athletic achievements is lengthy and includes earning a varsity letter in track, two varsity letters in football and being named to the 1995 second team and the 1996 first team all-district in football. But where Rowson’s incredible talent and drive blew his coaches and competitors away was on the wrestling mat. He was the AAU national runner-up in 1993, an AAU national place winner in 1994, participated in the North-South AllStar meet, was the conference champion for two years running in 1995 and 1996 and in 1996, was the state champion in class 2A at 160 pounds. Rowson is only one of three former Central wrestlers ever to achieve that feat. His coach and long-time confidante Kurt Kreiter says he could tell from a very young age Rowson was athletic and energetic. Kreiter was hopeful he would continue to develop in sports. “When (Rowson) got to high school and still was a good athlete and had a good attitude, I knew he could be special,” he relates.

6. The Observer (cont.) Kreiter came to realize Rowson truly wanted to become successful and hated to lose but wasn’t quite sure how to get there. What’s special about being a coach, Kreiter shares, is being able to take a young person and provide those avenues for physical, mental and social development and see who’s willing to pay the price to turn goals into reality. Rowson most definitely was one of those young people willing to discipline himself. “(Rowson) listened to what you told him and was hungry to apply what he was learning,” Kreiter recalls. “Over time, I have enjoyed watching him develop into a successful athlete, but most importantly into a successful man, husband and professional. That is the true essence of coaching.” As a student at Iowa State, Rowson was a member of the wrestling team 1996-2000 and was named all-academic Big XII in 1996 and 1997. “In his case, the criteria is very simple,” Kreiter notes. “For anyone who ever has competed in an individual sport or more specifically, wrestling, to earn a state championship is the pinnacle of high school athletics. Like many wrestlers we have at Central, he had an outstanding career and has the statistics to prove it. But to elevate that career and win the ultimate prize in competition with a state title makes him very unique.”

7. Induction speech Inducted for Outstanding Contributions as an Individual I have personally experienced some great moments in sports, both an athlete and later as a coach. But none of my experiences can compare with that moment in 1996 when the clock struck :00 on the 2A mat at Veterans Auditorium in Des Moines on February 24 and Chad Rowson had earned a State Wrestling Championship.Chad was and outstanding All-District football player earning 2 Letters and landing on the 1995 and 1996 All-District teams as a Linebacker playing for Hall of Fame Coach Dwight Spangler. He was also a Track Letterman and was very active in 4-H and the FFA.But wrestling is where he would excel. You could tell from an early age that he was going to be special. As a youth he wrestled in our upstart Sabertooth Wrestling Club and by the time he was a freshman, he was ready to break into the lineup. He earned a Varsity Letter already physically mature enough to compete at 160 pounds and broke the 20-win mark as a sophomore becoming dominant on his feet. He was an AAU National Runner in 1993 and medalist in 1994. He was a 3X member of our Gut’s Club not missing a practice his last three seasons and was named team captain both his junior & senior years. He was a 2X Big Bend Champion and going into Sectionals as a senior, had done everything but make it to Des Moines. His Junior year he had finished 3rd to two wrestlers that would

8. Speech (cont.) & Video end up in the State championship match.I remember how disappointed he was during his loss in the Saber Invitational finals as a Senior, but his response to that loss and his 13-0 dominance of the same opponent just 3 weeks later was an indication to me something great was about to happen. He advanced from the Sectional and District meets as a runner-up but his focus and training never let up. When he got to Des Moines he was not satisfied. His matches were fast paced and hotly contested, winning 9-5 in the opening round, getting a pin in a flurry of action in the Quarterfinals, 9-6 in the Semi-finals and 8-6 in the 2A Championship match. He became just the 3rd wrestler in school history to earn a State Wrestling Title. He still holds many top-ten season and career records including being the Career leader in Takedowns.He wrestled at Iowa State University from 1996-2000, earning Academic All-Big XII in 1997. He roomed with some other Cyclone greats… the Sanderson boys during that time. He graduated with a degree in Animal Ecology and has been a Park Ranger for Iowa’s Department of Natural Resource since 2003. He, his wife Stacy and 4 children Madilyn, Blake, Jacob and Tate live near Des Moines. His boys are now wrestling.Please help me welcome the newest member of the Central High School Hall of Fame, 2013 inductee… Chad Rowson.