After coach's sudden death, James River Girls are 'Staying Stowe Strong'

While the Rapids lost a great coach and friend, they gained a bond and closeness few teams might ever know.

A bond which will stay with them far beyond this night on this field.

WITH EMOTIONAL UPS AND DOWNSEVEN FOR THE BEST TEAMS THATFIND SUCCESS FAR MORE THANFAILURE.ONE AREA TEAMGOES THROUGH THOSE ROLLERCOASTERS ON A DAILY BASIS...ALLDUE TO A LOSS THEY SUFFEREDBEFORE THEIR SEASON EVERBEGAN.SENIOR NIGHTSEAS EONVER BEGAN.SENIOR NIGHT FOR ANY HIGHSCHOOL TEAM IS AN EMOTIONALEVENT.A CELEBRATION OF ACHIEVEMENTMIXED WITH THE REMORSE OFREALIZATION...KNO WING TEAMMATSEWILL BE GOING THEIR SEPARATEWAYS EVRY SOON.THE 12 SENIORSON THIS YEAR'SJEAMS RIVER GIRLS SOCCER TEAMKNOW ALL TOO WELL HOW FASTEMOTIONS CAN CHANGE.THISYEAR'S TEAM HAD PLANS TO MAKETHE REGIONAL PLAYOFFS AS THEYDID TWO YEARS AGO...BUT BEFORETHEIR VERY FIRST GAME...THEYRECEIVED NEWS THEIR COACH IANSTOWE HAD PASSED AWAYSUDDENLY AND UEXNPECTEDLY...LEAVING A VOID UNLIKE ANY OTHERTHEY COULD IMAGINE.53:57 THOMAS MOST OF THESEGIRLS HAVE KNOWN IAN SINCE THEYWERE YOUNG.HE WAS EITHER THEIRCOACH DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY.2:55 CALLIOTT HONESTLY IT DIDN'TFEEL LIKE HE WAS MY COACH, HEWASTHAT GREAT OF A PERSON AND HEWAS THEREFO R ME WHENEVER INEEDED IT.IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO GETTEENAGERS TO AGREE ONANYTHING...BUT ALL 40 MEMBERS OFTHE JV AND VARSITY TEAMS ATJAMES RIVER THOUGHT OFSTOWE AS FAR MORE THAN A COACH.HE WAS A MENTOR AND ACONFIDANT....SOME ONE TO WHOMTHEPLAYERS SHREAD SOME OF THEIRINNERMOST THOUGHTS AND DREAMS.13:04 SLACK HE WOULD ASK ME WHATMY GOALS IN LIFE WERE AND I FELTLIKE I COULD TELL HIM BECAUSEHE WOULD BE THE MOSTUNDERSTANDING AND MOSTSUPPORTIVE PERSON ABOUT IT.4:54 CALLIOTT IWOULD TEXT HIMEVERY DAY, CALL HIM EVERY OTHERDAY TO TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.EVEN IF IT WAS A PBROLEM I WASHAVING, HE WOULD GIVE THE BESTADVICE BACK TO ME.57:01 THOMAS HE WAS A PERFECTGIRLS COACH.GIRLS DON'T DO WELL WITH BEINGSCREAMED AND YELLED AT.BUT HE HAD A WAY, A TONE ABOUTHIM THAT THE GIRLS KNEW WHEN HEWAS SERIOUS AND MEANT BUSINESSWITHOUT RAISING HIS VOICE.THE DAY AFTER THEY CREEIVED THENEWS...BOTH TEAMS SPENT THEENTIRE DAY TOGETHER INSIDE THESCHOOL LIBRARY...SHARING STORIESAND LENDING SUPPORT.THERE WERE AS MANY LAUGHS ASTHERE WERE TEARS...22:19 RIECK I THINK IT BROUGHTUSTOGETHER AS A TEAM, THATBIGGROUP BONDING TOGETHER.THISTRAGEDY SHOWED US HOW STRONG WEWERE AND IT REALLY BROUGHT USTOGETHER.54:48 THOMAS IT WAS A ROLLERCOASTER, AND I TOLD THE GIRLSTHAT'SWH AT IT'S GOING TO BELIKEFOR A LONG TIME.WE ALL GRIEVE INDIFFERENT WAYS.THERE WEREMOMENTS OF GIGGLING TOGETHER ANDTHEN IT WOULD HITSOMEBODY AND IT'S KIND OF ACHAINREACTIONH TAT'S ALSO HOW THESEASONHAS GONE.IN FRONT OF THEIRFAMILIES...FRIENDS...AND STOWE'SWIDOW...WHO TOOK HIS CUSTOMARYSEAT ON THESIDELINES...THE RAPIDS RODE ACREST OF EMOTION TO A 3-0VICTORY INTHEIR FINAL REGULAR SEASON HOMEGAME.STOWE'SPRESENCE IS MISSING...BUT HISVOICE LIVES ON INSIDE THEMAIGINATIONS OF THOSE TO WHOM HEMEANT SO MUCH.24:02 RIECK YOU CAN DO IT I CANJUST HEAR HIM SAYING 'RAPIDSON THREE!" AND THEN "GORAPIDS!!"57:37 THOMAS I FEEL LIKE I HEARHIM TELLING US ENOUGH CRYINGALREADY, LET'S PLAY SOME SOCCER.HE JUST WANTS US TO GOOUT AND HAVE FUN.THE WIN IS GRATYINIFG...BUTDOES LITTLE TO ANSWER THEQUESTIONS THESE YOUNG LADIESMIGHT HAVE FOREVER.24:32 RIECK I QUESTION IT A LOTBECAUSE HE WAS JUST AN AMAZINGPERSON.IT JUST MAKES ME WONDER WHY HIM?7:11 CALLIOTT WHY HIM OUT OF ALLTHE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD.HE WAS THE BEST GUY EVER.WHY?

THE ANSWER COULD BETHIS....THE RAPIDS LOST A GREATCOACH AND A BETTER FRIEND.WHAT THEY HAVE GAINED IS A BONDANDC LOSENESS FEW TEAMS MIGHTEVER KNOW...WHICH WILL STAY WITHTHEM FAR BEYOND THISNIGHT ON THIS FIELD.17:16 SLACK AS LONG AS WE'REDOING I TTOGETHER AS A TEAM ANDWE'RE TRYING ORUHARDEST TO WIN, THAT'S ALL THATREALLY MATTERS TO ME25:38 RIECK I'VE NEVER BEEN THISCLOSE TO SO MANY GIRLS.I FEEL LIKEWE BONDED OVER THIS IN A WAYTHATNOT MANY TEAMS CAN BOND OVER58:36 THOMAS THIS IS LIFE ANDTHESETHINGS KIND O HFAPPEN.WE CAN'TALWAYS EXPLAIN IT, WE DO'T NKNOWTHE REASON BUT WE JUST HAVE TOMOVE ON.THEY ALL KNOW IANWOULDN'T WANT THEM CRAWLING INBED, SITTING IN A DARK RO OMANDGRIEVING FOR HIM.HE WOULD WANTTHEM TO GO OUT, LIVE THEIR LIFEAND HAVE A GOOD TIME.LANE THE LADY RAPIDSWERE 5-4 COMING INTO THURSDAYNIGHT'S MATCH WITH MIDLOTHIANTHAT CLOSED OUT THEIR REGULARSEASON.THEY WILL PLAYIN THE REGION 6A TOURNAMENTBEGINNING NEXT WEEK WITH THEHOPES OF EXTENDING THE SENIORS'FINAL SEASON