Former Crean Lutheran football coach Matt Bowman finds a home at Trabuco Hills

Matt Bowman is one of the new assistant coaches at Trabuco Hills.

NOTE: Story originally published Aug. 13, 2018.

One of the coaches at Friday night’s six-way scrimmage at Tustin High was former Crean Lutheran head football coach Matt Bowman, who is now an assistant football coach with the Trabuco Hills varsity football team.

Bowman spent nine years at Crean Lutheran but was dismissed after last season, his second as head coach. In two years, Bowman was 13-8 and led the Saints to the CIF playoffs last year.

After the decision was made by Crean Lutheran officials, Bowman said he heard from many coaches about possible jobs,

“After I was fired at Crean, I was amazed at how many coaches reached out to me,” Bowman said,

“I felt like Trabuco Hills was the best place for me to teach, coach and enjoy community. I really believe in what John Abdelnour is doing here and in the months I spent with him going through this process, it was very clear to me that we were aligned in a number of core values and philosophy of coaching young men.

“They have welcomed me into the Mustang family with open arms and allowed me to hit the ground running.”

Bowman will be teaching match on campus, he said.

“I’m currently serving as the special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach for varsity, I’m also helping out with the freshman staff, calling the defense,” Bowman said. “They’ve given me a wide range of responsibilities and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I have thoroughly enjoyed ever player, coach and parent I have come into contact with in the Trabuco Hills family.”

Bowman said there have been some adjustments this summer

“I’ve spent the last nine years in one program that does things a certain way,” he said. “I was a part of the staff (along with David Krystowiak and Brett Mertens) who started the program at Crean. But the last eight months have also given me perspective on how another program does things, and I’ve really enjoyed growing as a coach and interacting with different ideas. It’s caused me to grow in ways I wouldn’t have grown otherwise.

“This program has all the tools to have a very special year and to build for future success. I think I came in at the right time, and an exciting time for THHS football.”

Bowman seems excited about his new challenge.

“God had a plan,,” he said. “I don’t know if given a choice, I would have chosen this path for myself and my family, but I feel confident in saying that I’m in a better place because of it, I’m a better man because of it, I’m stronger because of it and I think my and THHS’s best days are still ahead.”