Denny, the second of Chuck and Una Gowan’s six kids, was born and raised in Walla Walla, graduating from DeSales High School (‘67), excelling in football and basketball. Following high school, Denny attended and graduated from Eastern Washington State University earning a degree in pre-physical therapy. Denny played and assisted Jerry Krause in the Savage basketball program through his junior year. In 1989, Denny received his Masters from Gonzaga University.
During this time at Eastern, Denny met and married Terri, his incredible wife of forty-seven years. The Gowans have two children, Kelsey and Kris. Kelsey and
her husband Paul have three kids and live in the Hockinson area. Kelsey played basketball at Whitman before graduating in ’94. Kris lives in Salt Lake City and has a four-year-old
daughter. Kris played for his dad at Liberty(Spangle) and was selected to the play in the WIBCA Washington All-star games in ’92. For the past nine years Kris has courageously and heroically battled glioblastoma, a deadly form of brain cancer.
Coach Gowan’s career has taken Terri and him to both sides of the mountains. Following graduation from Eastern, Denny served as the athletic trainer and scout team coach for Walla Walla Community College football; subsequently teaching while coaching football, basketball and track at DeSales High School. The Gowan family filled the basketball program. Denny, the head coach, brother Brian played center, sister Cindy was a cheerleader while youngest brother Dave was in charge of the water, balls and towels. It was truly a family affair!
The second stop on the Gowan coaching odyssey-Umapine Oregon, a small rural school tucked away between Walla Walla and Milton-Freewater Oregon. Here, coaching opportunities abounded. Denny jump-started high school football, despite the lack of budget, equipment or schedule. Much of the equipment was donated by local high schools, colleges and even the penitentiary in Walla Walla. During basketball season, Denny coached junior high boys and assisted Rich Bemis with the high school program. In the spring Gowan coached track. It was the first time Umapine qualified athletes for the state track meet.
In the summer of ’74 Onalaska was looking for a junior high teacher interested in high school coaching. Ony had just recently hired a handful of young, like-minded teachers and coaches, that included Ivor Hoglund, Steve Smaciarz and Scott Carnahan. The opportunity was too good to pass up! Loading the U-Haul, the Gowans left the wheat fi elds for the forests with their two-year-old daughter and month-old son. Denny assisted in football and basketball and was the Logger head track coach. After two years, Gowan moved into the head basketball position, only to have the sports programs scuttled by a second levy failure that was run late that summer. Kids were allowed to transfer in order to compete, as coaches looked for other opportunities.
At the same time, Rosalia High School was looking to fill their head basketball position vacated by Craig Feenan, a highly respected and successful coach. Denny accepted the position and served as head coach for five years. During that time the Spartans were 107-37, collecting fourth place trophies at the state tournament in ’78 and ’81. While at Rosalia, Gowan also coached high school football, junior high girls and boys basketball, high school and junior high track.
Through competition, clinics and camps, Denny struck a friendship with Rod Fletcher and Dick Trudgeon, head coaches at Liberty(Spangle). Liberty was completing a construction project, bringing two rural elementary schools/junior highs into one building. Denny was hired to teach in the junior high and transition junior high basketball programs to the high school.
In 1991-92 school year, Denny took over the high school boys’ program from Coach Trudgeon, a change made easy, having coached the boys in junior high. That year, the Lancers went 25-8 and placed fi fth at the state tournament. After the season, Denny was selected WIBCA “B” Coach of the Year.
The’ 92-‘93 Lancers won the state football title. Expectations for hoops were high. The Lancers rolled though league and district 26-0, only to lay an egg against a well-prepared Morton team opening day of the state tournament. Regrouping, the Lancer finished the season 29-1, collecting a fifth place trophy.
The 93-94 Lancers had a new line-up and were able to “fl y under the radar” most of the season. The Lancers garnered league and district titles, earned a sixth place at state and ended the season 26-4.
Denny retired from Rainier School District in 2004 after serving as middle school principal and district athletic director. In retirement, Denny coached junior high boys’ and girls’ basketball and track.
A macro-view of Denny’s career: head basketball coach-9 years 202-65 (76%), HS assistant-5 years, junior high boys and girls basketball-38 seasons, HS/JH football 13 seasons and HS/JH track- 26 seasons. It goes without saying, Denny’s coaching career has been blessed by a great family, outstanding athletes, dedicated coaches and the grace of God!
