Former Ponca City resident Chuck Bowman returns to sign copies of a new book which chronicles his life in sports and as a leader in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. The book titled Godly Influence On and Off the Field has been recently published to honor Chuck Bowman by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Chuck will be at Brace Books & More at 1 pm on Saturday, May 28 to greet friends and sign copies of this new coffee table style book.

Chuck, who was born in 1935 in Ponca City to parents Clarence and Jessie Bowman, was the youngest of their 6 children. He had a close relationship to his brother Dick who was 5 years older. The other siblings had already left home leaving the two brothers as the only children at home. Chuck recalls that his family was very active at First Baptist in Ponca City giving him a solid dose of Southern Baptist theology. Many local church members will remember his mother taught a women’s Bible class for 60 years.

Beginning in Ponca City, Chuck’s interest and talent in sports excelled, especially in football and wrestling. Following in his older brother Dick’s footsteps, he played football at Ponca City High School and later at the University of Oklahoma.

Following his college years, he worked as an assistant football coach with his brother at Shawnee High School and then his brother Dick became head football coach at Ponca City. Chuck planned to follow his brother but instead accepted an offer as an assistant coach at Tulsa Central High School. Five years later he was then offered the head coaching position at McLain High School also in Tulsa. During his time coaching at McLain he began taking some of his players in the summer to a Fellowship of Christian Athletes weeklong camp at Estes Park, Colorado. Chuck saw this as an opportunity for the young men to enrich their Christian spirituality.

In 1967 Chuck was offered the head coach position at North Eastern A & M, a junior college located in Miami, Oklahoma. He accepted the job and he and his wife Betty moved to Miami. The move proved to be a success story when in his first year Bowman’s team won the National Junior College championship.

This book is about the life of Chuck Bowman and his influence on others. Because of his leadership, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in Oklahoma became a model for other state organizations to follow.

This signing event at Brace Books & More will be a great opportunity for friends and others to meet and talk to Chuck Bowman. Bookstore owner Tara Smith says Chuck’s story will be an inspiration to read and share with anyone. For more information call the bookstore at 580-765 5173.