BASINGSTOKE, UK – For any long serving sportsman, a familiar piece of advice is to make any self-imposed career ending decision carefully, as you are a ‘long time retired’. So when former GB international and now Dr Russ Cowley announced that he would be lacing up the skates again after hanging them up just twelve months prior, few could begrudge the 35 year old a change of heart.
Russ Cowley back on the ice (David Trevallion)
In fact for fans of the Basingstoke Bison, it’s fair to assume that none are unhappy that the Edmonton born forward decided to return to the ice last summer for a season (and possibly more) in Hampshire.
Newly appointed Bison Player Coach Ashley Tait proved to be the catalyst for Cowley’s u-turn, as he undertook a rebuild of the 2017/18 League and Play-Off Champions squad following the high profile departures of previous incumbent Doug Sheppard and a number of senior players last summer.
“Ash (Tait) is a good friend, having played many years together, and we were just catching up over the summer a couple times” admits Cowley, who played over fifty times for his country across World Championship and Olympic qualifying tournaments.
“That’s when it kind of came about. He (Ash) asked if I would be interested but I did have to mull it over and chat with my wife about the logistics of it all. But eventually it seemed a great opportunity to play again and have some fun.”
After a slow start to the campaign for the team, Cowley is certainly enjoying life in a Bison jersey having already scored 12 goals and 27 assists in 28 appearances, with a number of match-winners amongst the tally. The Bison made it five wins in a row last weekend as they surged up to second place in the National Ice Hockey League South, banishing pre-season fears from some fans of a campaign of struggle.
“When you look at how many new bodies Ash had to bring in at the start of the season, there were only a few returnees” explains Cowley, who makes a 200 mile return trip to the rink from his base in Coventry each week, with his wife and daughter joining him for games.
“The chemistry was always going to take a little time. Additionally, it took a little time for guys to become accustomed to playing the systems Ash put in place. We have an unreal group of guys here and we are finding success because we have a team that buys in to it all.”
Indeed new import Richard Bordowski has proved a real find, lighting the lamp 18 times, with colleague Michal Klejna doing so 16 times. All backed by GB legend Tait, Cowley and local boy Alex Sampford who have given the team a real depth in scoring. At the back end goalie Alex Mettam has shown his quality between the pipes after a move from local rivals Bracknell Bees, giving the team an all-round solid look.
For Cowley the move to Basingstoke came after 19 years of senior hockey that began in Swindon, ironically one of the Bison’s challengers at the top of the table this year.
Bison on form (Rick Webb)
Born to British parents in Vancouver, he started playing hockey in BC before the family came back to the UK to live in Worcester, where he would play junior hockey in Solihull before eventually ending up at Swindon juniors via another spell in Canada as a teenager.
“I don’t remember my first game as such” admits Cowley.
“But I remember playing a few games split between the under 19’s and with the Phoenix as the senior team were known then.
“We had a good team, especially some good experienced guys. I remember playing on a line with Robin Davison and Merv Priest. Those guys were great and certainly taught me about the game.
“We had a good group and it was fun. There were a few of us from the u19’s that got games and it was nice to have some close friends/teammates too.”
The brief time with Swindon in the EPL would soon lead to bigger things as Coventry Blaze in the Elite League had noticed the then GB u20 international, and he was soon on the move back to the West Midlands.
However neither side could have predicted that the then fresh faced forward would clock up 15 years of service in blue, a BNL title, multiple EIHL titles and ultimately his jersey raised to the rafters of the Skydome when he retired in 2017.
“It was a real honour and I am so humbled at having my jersey retired” admits Cowley, when pushed on the accolade and how he spent his year away from the game.
“At the time, I didn’t think I would be playing again. I had to focus on getting my PhD finished and get a career going outside of hockey. It was a slog to get it all finished as I had a deadline.
Bordowski top scoring for the Bison so far (David Trevallion)
“I also worked at Coventry University at the time, which is the University I completed my PhD at. I also took the opportunity to catch up with some family time and a few holidays, things I was never able to do so when playing. It was a bit of a culture shock not playing at first to be honest.”
NIHL fans watching the Bison play might at first struggle to pick out the decorated GB veteran when he takes to the ice before a game, and not just because of the camouflaged name and number bars on Basingstoke’s jerseys.
The silky smooth forward has been wearing a full face cage this season, but is adamant it’s not just a ploy to make an old man feel more youthful.
“It certainly doesn’t make me feel younger” laughs Cowley.
“I have lost a few teeth over my career so I had dentistry work done when I retired. Being a senior lecturer is also a big factor, I need to stay professional and can’t turn up to work with missing teeth etc.
“I have had the puck in the cage at least five times already so I don’t regret the decision at all!.”
The Bison face a crunch home game against Peterborough Phantoms on Sunday in their only game of the weekend and with his teeth safe and team in form, Basingstoke fans can be sure that Cowley and his team will be aiming to continue that winning streak in style.
Contact the author carrsy2@gmail.com
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