Bowlsby, currently the Jaquish and Kenninger Director of Athletics at Stanford University in California, will speak on a number of topics, specifically the state of athletics on the collegiate level.
Now starting his second year at Stanford, Bowlsby previously served as the Athletics Director at the University of Iowa for 15 years.
In his time in Iowa City, Bowlsby served as chair for the NCAA wrestling committee and additionally served on association committees in the areas of Financial Aid and Amateurism, the Special Committee to Review Amateurism Issues and the Special Committee to Review Financial Conditions in Athletics.
"We're pleased to have one of our nation's most respected athletic directors, Bob Bowlsby speaking on our sport's behalf at the NWCA Convention," said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. "He is one of wrestling's most influential ambassadors. He's been in environments where wrestling is a revenue sport and wrestling is a big part of the athletics landscape."
"Bob Bowlsby represents the best professional and personal values when it comes to student-athletes," said Stanford University Provost John Etchemendy in a press release announcing Bowlsby's hiring last year. "He understands that the success of an athletics program is not simply measured in wins and losses, but in the academic achievements and character of the young women and men who work so hard on the field and in the classroom."
Bowlsby's main emphasis at this year's convention is on the changing landscape of intercollegiate athletics and what wrestling coaches need to do in order to adapt.
One necessity that Bowlsby is expected to touch upon is the topic of coaches today need to strengthen their "small business CEO skills." Because the focus of some athletic departments is business-minded, wrestling coaches need to be the same.
Business is tied in with another one of Bowlsby's points – understanding the new intercollegiate economic model.
"What Bob Bowlsby can do is spell things out and explain to coaches in our sport how to survive and run their operation in a business-like fashion. The primary goal is to graduate our student athletes and send them off into the world prepared, but we can't ignore how the landscape of college sports has changed," said Moyer. "The coach is the single most important person in our efforts to improve recruitment and retention of wrestlers at all levels."
Bowlsby will also touch on public relations-style topics like how to strengthen wrestling's alignment with educational values and heightening a wrestling team's visibility on campus and the surrounding community.
"What Bob Bowlsby brings to our convention is the ability to explain things from the standpoint of an Athletics Director to our member coaches and how to further understand entrenching wrestling programs," said NWCA President Ron Mirikitani. "Mr. Bowlsby has been an integral part of running athletic departments for a long time. He's been a friend to wrestling and will be an asset to those attending the convention this year."
The National Wrestling Coaches Association, established in 1928, is a professional organization dedicated to serve and provide leadership for the advancement of all levels of the sport of wrestling with primary emphasis on scholastic and collegiate programs. The membership embraces all people interested in amateur wrestling.
The NWCA, through its organizational structure, promotes communication, recognizes achievement, recommends rules and regulations, sponsors events, and serves as an educational and informational source. Additionally, the NWCA strives to foster the sportsmanship and integrity that are the cornerstones of athletic competition.
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