Touched by a friend

When he returned home, the former Florida and James Madison guard landed a job as a teacher and basketball coach at Dixie Hollins.

By JOE SMITH
Published January 19, 2007

When he returned home, the former Florida and James Madison guard landed a job as a teacher and basketball coach at Dixie Hollins.

Rowe, 34, said he owes it all to his former basketball coach, Lakewood's Dan Wright, whom his Rebels host Tuesday night.

"I would have never reached this level in my life without him," Rowe said. "He always believed in me when I didn't believe in myself."

Rowe remembers his senior year at Lakewood 1990, when he felt "under the radar" compared to former Spartans stars Barry Brown and Anthony Lawrence.

At Countryside, there was future NBA forward Andrew DeClercq.

"Nobody would have picked me to go anywhere or do anything," Rowe said.

Except Wright, at 589-263 the second-winningest boys basketball coach in Tampa Bay history .

Walking the hall one morning, Rowe told Wright he was planning to sign with UCF. The upcoming Team Florida AAU tryouts, Rowe thought, were out of his league.

"You can play anywhere," Wright told him. "People just don't know it yet. I guarantee you, some door will open up for you."

Rowe went to the tryouts - and turned some heads. He signed with Florida, and while practicing there, realized he could play "at the next level."

After two years at Florida and two at James Madison, Rowe latched on with pro teams in Sweden, Germany, Belgium (five years), France, Israel and Greece.

The typically quiet Rowe opened up, learned French and Swedish, took trains to visit museums in Paris.

"I'm a totally different person," Rowe said. Wright "pushed me to be where I am today. He touched my life, like he does with all his players. I hope, 15 years from now, my players can say the same about me."

The Wright Stuff

The former players for longtime Lakewood boys basketball coach Dan Wright consider themselves a fraternity. Here are three of Wright's disciples currently coaching in Pinellas County:

Louis Rowe (Dixie Hollins), first season: After 10 years playing professionally overseas, the 1990 Lakewood grad landed his first coaching gig.

Anthony Lawrence (Admiral Farragut), first season: The 1988 Lakewood grad played collegiately for Alabama and Miami. This year, he took over for another legendary boys coach, Mike Wells, who is recovering from brain surgery.

Chris Blackwell (St. Petersburg), fifth season: The former longtime assistant of Wright, Blackwell has the Green Devils atop Class 6A-7.

[Last modified January 18, 2007, 23:54:33]