Former Hayden football coach Tom Stringer always knew Brett Cowdin was one of the area's most popular teachers and coaches.
The hours after Cowdin's death Wednesday bore that out, with Stringer fielding a barrage of phone calls and text messages expressing shock and condolences at the news of the 54-year-old Topekan’s passing of an apparent heart attack.
“Sitting here thinking of Brett, I can't think of anybody that didn't like him, and he loved kids,” Stringer said of Cowdin, who was on his staff at Hayden when the Wildcats won the school's first Class 4A state football title with a perfect season in 1998. “He just loved kids and the kids gave him energy and the kids got energy from him because they knew how much he cared about them.
“He always put a smile on the kids' faces and he was just awful special. There wasn't a kid that didn't like him.”
Hayden was one of several coaching stops for Cowdin, who coached state baseball champions at both Hayden (1997) and Topeka West (2003). Cowdin also coached the Rossville Rattlers to an NBC 19-under national championship last summer.
Cowdin had a coaching stint at Topeka High early in his career and also coached at Highland Park, Topeka West, Rossville and Washburn Rural. Cowdin was the offensive coordinator at Rural this past season.
Stringer said Cowdin's infectious personality made him a hit wherever he went.
“He was just genuinely a good guy,” Stringer said. “He was always upbeat, even in the worst of times. We could be getting our butts handed to us, but he was always the supreme optimist. He touched everybody's life.
“Like my brother John told me one time, he said, ‘I'd pay him just to hang out with me.’ And that was because he was just so pleasant, so enjoyable, funny. There wasn't a mean bone in his body. I loved him like a brother and you know what, he had a lot of people like that. There's just not a lot of people like him.”
Topeka West grad Lori Green, regarded as one of the city's all-time top athletes, never had Cowdin as a coach, but both of her sons, Michael and Joseph, went to West and were involved with Cowdin.
Michael Williams played for Cowdin's 2003 state championship team at West and also played for Cowdin in summer baseball.
“My heart is just really heavy right now,” Green said. “Coach Cowdin has been in my family's life for many, many years, as a coach, friend and a teacher of life. He was very free-spirited, but his main goal was the helping and the teaching for the kids. This is what he lived for.
“You could talk to him openly and ask him anything. He loved to have fun, joke, laugh, and his smile was one in a million. He was a positive role model for both of my sons. Brett was very knowledgeable, not just on the field or court, but in life. There are not enough kind words to describe him.''
Cowdin was born July 17, 1959, the son of Larry and Barbara James Cowdin.
He was a graduate of Topeka West and Washburn, where he earned his bachelor's and master's degrees.
He is survived by his wife, Marcie Cowdin, children Tychicus Cowdin, Tobias Cowdin, Natalie Whitt, Maisie Cowdin and Jaxson Cowdin, his mother, Barbara Cowdin, and brothers Joe Cowdin, Bruce Cowdin and Aaron Cowdin. Brett was preceded in death by his father.
Friends may call from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday at Kevin Brennan Family Funeral Home, 2801 S.W. Urish Road. Cowdin's funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Highland Park United Methodist Church, 2914 S.E. 29th.
Memorial contributions are suggested to the Brett Cowdin Memorial Fund at Capitol Federal Savings. Online condolences may be sent to kevinbrennanfamily.com.
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