WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State football coach Pete Kowalski is retiring after nine seasons leading the Owls program.
Kowalski announced his plans to the team on Zoom meeting on May 21.
"Thank you for the opportunity to work with you guys . . . this is even harder than I expected it would be," said an emotional Kowalski on an address to the current Owls team members on Zoom, noting it would have been his 41st season of coaching football.
Kowalski steps back from the program to focus on his family after losing his wife, Mary 'Lizzie' Kowalski, after an extended illness, and his daughter, Melissa James, from unexpected complications of a medical procedure, within months of each other this spring.
"Sometimes life helps makes decisions for you," said Kowalski. "With four grandchildren under 13, I told my son-in-law Shawn 'I'm here as long as you need me to be'. Sean said he is happy and thankful to have me here. I was at seven AAU basketball games last weekend, and it's important for me to be here for the family."
Pete and the family split time between North Carolina, Utah and Wilbraham, Mass.
"I really respect Pete's decision to take care of his family," said Westfield State athletic director Richard Lenfest, Jr., who brought Kowalski aboard as head coach before the 2014 season. "Pete's an educator, a teacher, a coach – it's an honorable profession and he's accomplished a lot with the young men of the Westfield State football team."
"I understand, given the circumstances, Coach K has always been a family man, and I know that he loves spending time with his grandchildren," said senior captain and all-conference defensive tackle Cade Nelson. "It's bittersweet, knowing that he has been my coach for my entire college career, and helped me develop my game, but we will have some one new leading the program this year."
Kowalski recently finished his ninth season at the helm of the Westfield State program after 18 years as an assistant coach and defensive coordinator with the Owls. The final game of his career proved to one for the record books, as the Owls defeated Fitchburg State, 49-0 in the 2023 season finale. Owls' running back Jordan Smith ran for 229 yards and a school-record five touchdowns, and was rewarded with the Gold Helmet for the week from the New England Football Writers, and defensive back Christian Julian tied a school record with three interceptions.
Kowalski told the team that he was "proud of your development as individuals, athletes, with your academics, and as a team. You came together as a group and I'm proud of all your accomplishments – and not all of them show up on the scoreboard."
Kowalski's best seasons leading the Owls came in his inaugural year of 2014 when Westfield finished 5-5, and in 2018 when the Owls were again 5-5.
In 2017, Kowalski coached from the press box for the final three games of the season after suffering a broken leg when play spilled off the field in a game at Fitchburg State, and rolled up on his leg.
Lenfest said Kowalski is "the toughest person I know," in the team meeting, having helped Kowalski home after the injury in Fitchburg.
He piloted the program back to the field in the fall of 2021 after the covid-pandemic restrictions cancelled playing seasons across the nation in the fall of 2020.
"Pete has shown incredible loyalty to our program through the years, and took on our head coaching job as a second career after a long career as a teacher," said Lenfest. "He's always been passionate about coaching and his mantra to "get better every day" carried through to our players and was doubly important coming out of the pandemic with a very young team that did just that, and made big strides during the course of the last season."
Individual players enjoyed success under Kowalski, including running backs Michael Mercadante, Travon Holder, and Jordan Smith, each of whom had 1,000 yard rushing seasons.
Among the individual honors his players received, current Owls linebacker Tyler Cooley earned all-conference and all-region honors, and LB/P John Ollari received all region laurels in 2015.
Evan Garvey led the nation in kick return yards-per-return in 2018.
"I struggled in school my first semester, and [Coach K] really dedicated a lot of time to help me get my head out of my rear-end and get my grades back to where they needed to be," said Nelson. "He'd meet with me every week until I started doing better and then we would meet every couple of weeks. He's always been concerned with how I'm doing, and how everyone on the team is doing both on and off the field."
"He was always a player-first coach," said Nelson. "At times he'd give every player a hug on the way out to the field before a game. He'd give us a lot of encouragement, but if you got too comfortable he also knew how to get you fired up. He always knew just what to say to get the most out of me as a player."
Kowalski said that the student athletes come to the team as diamonds – some rougher than others.
"The players all come together at about the same age, but everyone is in a different place," said Kowalski. "Their families all do a great job raising them, and we try to continue along that path when they come to us. They all have different backgrounds, different priorities. Some don't need any polishing at all, they navigate athletics, academics and social life at college. Some need more polishing, and we always tried to keep polishing them and pulling them through any difficult times, and some of the lessons learned through football, and the players interactions with each other and coaches can carry through the rest of their lives."
Kowalski extended his thanks to everyone at Westfield State, "from the president and administration, across the athletic department and all across campus."
"Thanks for believing in the Westfield State University football program. It's been a pleasure being associated with a lot of great young men – and now some that are not-so-young anymore – that have accomplished a lot with their professional work, as fathers. I thank them for their continued support of Westfield State football and am looking forward to the next steps in their lives as well."
"I always tried to be very honest with our recruits, how the school would be good for them, how they could accomplish things at Westfield State," said Kowalski. "But I also never tried to sugar coat it – it was an opportunity to compete. For 28 years, that's been something that happened. I think we got some student athletes because of it, and we lost a few as well, but sometimes they would come back to us if they didn't get what they expected at another institution."
Kowalski said he thought recruiting to Westfield State University was one of the easier parts of the job, because "the facts support the greatness of the institution."
"Just over spring break I must have sent 60 or 70 e-mails to professors checking in on our players, and by the end of break my mailbox was full with responses. People at Westfield State want to help students to succeed."
Kowalski wraps up his nine-year stint leading the Owls with a 25-65 overall record.
Westfield finished 3-7 in 2023, and will enter the 2024 season riding a modest two-game winning streak.
Kowalski was named the head coach of the Owls on May 16, 2014 after serving as an assistant coach and defensive coordinator at Westfield State for the previous 18 years.
Kowalski became the first full-time head coach in the history of the Owls football team when he succeeded longtime Westfield State head coach Steve Marino after Marino's 24-year run at the helm of the program
As Westfield State's defensive coordinator with an emphasis on linebackers, Kowalski was the architect of the Owls' outstanding defense that led the nation in total defense in 2001 and 2002, and in 2009 they led the nation in turnover margin and pass efficiency defense.
"It's kind of a blur right now, to be honest," said Kowalski after the team meeting, when asked for a favorite memory or moment from coaching.
"I think about a lot of young men who came through our program, a lot of smiling faces, a lot of hugs, a few tears, some of joy, and the enjoyment I received from seeing our players interact and support each other, and be thrilled with the effort each other put out for the team."
"A lot of coaches come to mind," said Kowalski. "You develop a lot of special relationships, particularly with coach Marino, when I was an assistant. There's no pressure on Saturday when you're the assistant, but when you slide over 18 to 24 inches into the big seat as the head coach it's a lot different! It was great to follow Steve, he's at the top of the list in how he went about coaching football."
"Of course I have to highlight Coach [Sean] O'Brien who has been here at Westfield for all 27 years I was part of the coaching staff as well, who's coached our defensive backs, coordinated our defense at times, and helped lead the program when I got injured a few years ago."
Prior to his arrival at Westfield in 1996, Kowalski coached for 14 years at Bulkeley High School in Hartford, Conn., and was the defensive coordinator for six seasons. Bulkeley was a state finalist in 1991 and had one of the top defenses in the state, allowing 5.4 points per game. In 1992, the Hartford school was ranked second in the state.
"Coach Graham Martin at Bulkeley allowed me to coach and then to be his defensive coordinator. One of the other assistants encouraged me to go to Coach Martin and to ask to be the coordinator. Coach Martin thought about it for a minute, then he asked, 'Do I have to pay you more?' and when I said no, he told me I was hired!"
Kowalski has a wealth of coaching experience. He served as a track and field coach at Bulkeley from 1985-2013, including the 19 years as head coach. He also coached the girls' basketball team at Minnechaug High School in his hometown of Wilbraham.
Kowalski graduated from West Springfield High School in 1972 and participated in football, basketball and track and field. He played a year of football and lacrosse at UMass Amherst and graduated in 1977 with a health and physical education degree. He taught health and physical education in the Hartford schools for 34 years.
"Overall, he's one of the greatest guys I have ever known," said Nelson. "There's not a bad or a rude bone in his body. He always reached out to the players on the team – especially in times of need."
The Owls expect to retain their current assistant coaches. A search is already underway for the next head coach of the Owls program, and a successor to Kowalski will be named shortly.
"With a new head coach, fall ball is going to be a true competition," Kowalski told his players. "I wish you all good luck . . . make sure you are ready to go and compete in camp."
Kowalski ended the session with his team the way he has ended so many practices.
"WE ARE . . ." said Kowalski. "WESTFIELD!," the players all replied.
