J-Hawk Coaches Through The Years

Tim Fowler became Jefferson’s fifth head coach in 1978 taking over the reins when Bill McNiel stepped down after eleven years at the helm. His is an example of a career that went full circle. Tim was born and raised in Cedar Rapids and went through the west-side school system, graduating from Jefferson in 1967. He wrestled under Jack Fisk for two years and Gary Kurdelmeier for one year.
Tim began his college education at the University of Iowa during the spring semester of 1968. He majored in physical education and wrestled under head coach Dave McCuskey and his former high school coach, assistant coach Gary Kurdelmeier. At Iowa Tim lettered in 1971 and wrestled under former J-Hawk teammate Don Briggs and Joe Carstenson. Jefferson has only had seven lettermen in SUI history: Briggs (69-71), Jed Brown (77-79), Fowler (71), Mark (95-98) and Tim (2000-01) Ironside, Rich Mihal (68-69), and Mel Wieland (64).
In 1972 Tim received his BS degree, and was hired to fill an interim teaching position at Erskine elementary school back home in Cedar Rapids. He continued teaching physical education at the elementary level for a year and a half. In the fall of 1973 he transferred to Taylor elementary where he stayed until coming to Jefferson in 1979. It is also noteworthy to mention Tim was an Iowa High School wrestling official starting in 1972. He worked the 1978 state tournament before entering the coaching ranks as the Jefferson head coach in 1979.
Tim held the wrestling position for one season before coming to teach at the high school the next year. He toiled as Jefferson’s head coach for five years during which time he compiled a record of 30-27. Fowler created J-Hawk wrestling’s first fundraising effort, instituting a “jogathon” which has been used to financially support the team every year since its inception. Tim coached eighteen state qualifiers, five state medallists, and one individual champion, Mike Johnson at 155 lbs in 1981. His 1982 squad earned the MVC championship going undefeated in the conference. Tim was named MVC Coach of the Year the same season. He stepped aside at the conclusion of that campaign to pursue work in administration.
Fowler acquired his master’s degree from Northeast Missouri State and subsequently worked as principal at Harding, Taft, Roosevelt, Nixon, and Madison before retiring in 2004. Today he and his wife Joyce enjoy retirement living in Cedar Rapids.
During Tim’s five years at Jefferson he was ably assisted by Jim Cox. Cox, who also coached volleyball and taught industrial arts, was a jack-of-all-trades who took the art of being an assistant coach to new heights. It was Jim who continued the splendid tradition of banquet stat-books pioneered by Russ Daniels. Cox was also a master of publicity and started the J-Hawk wrestling poster tradition, which has remained a yearly fixture to this day. Jim also produced the twenty-five year commemorative edition booklet of Jefferson Wrestling entitled “A Proud Tradition”. He retired after 33 years at Jefferson and currently works as a contractor with J&A Printing Inc.
It is interesting to note that Jefferson’s class of 1967 produced many fine wrestlers who have gone on to leave their mark on the sport in our state. Along with Tim Fowler, this class also produced Don Briggs (Iowa wrestler and UNI head wrestling coach) and Jim Kimball (Iowa wrestler and CR Prairie head wrestling coach).