Former BVA standout Rowland set to lead Howard Hanna in MVISBL
Ringgold interim basketball coach Matt Rowland, shown with his son Drew, will lead the Rams through summer league and workouts, while coaching Howard Hanna in the MVI Summer Basketball League. Submitted
By JEREMY SELLEW
jsellew@yourmvi.com
When Mon Valley Independent Summer Basketball League tryouts begin next week, there will be a new face roaming the sidelines eyeing up the talent.
Former Belle Vernon Area standout Matt Rowland is the new head coach of the Howard Hanna Wilson Baum squad, so he’ll feel right at home wearing green and gold.
And when he’s not coaching the summer league squad, he’ll be leading the Ringgold boys program on an interim basis.
Both coaching gigs opened up when Woodland Hills hired Eugene Wilson as its new head coach.
“When I heard the news about Coach Gene leaving, I called Laura (Grimm) immediately and wanted to make sure that we came up with a plan for the boys to ensure we are going to work out and get better through the summer,” Rowland said. “We have such a great group of kids here at Ringgold, I didn’t want them to have to miss out on another summer.”
Rowland is currently running open gyms for the Rams, who will be starting in a summer league at the Brownson House in Washington next week.
“The amount of young kids we already have interested is very exciting and I know the future is bright here,” Rowland added.
He got his start coaching with his former coach John Dudzinski at Belle Vernon from 2009-2012. He helped out with the Ringgold youth program and spent the last two seasons as the head middle school coach for the Rams. He served as a varsity assistant under Wilson last season.
“I’m really trying to continue what Coach Gene started last year. I want to bring high-energy, fast-paced basketball and a family atmosphere to the entire Ringgold program,” Rowland said.
Rowland finished with 1,407 career points as a three-year starter with the Leopards. He averaged over 25 points per game in his junior and senior seasons. He played two years at Pitt-Greensburg, where he averaged 10 points per game and finished with three 30-point games.
“I’ve been so lucky to be surrounded by great coaches my entire life. My grandfather, William Picchiarini, used to make us boys sit by him during all the basketball games and coached us the entire time we watched,” he said. “I’m thankful for the experience last year because I was really able to dive more into what game preparation is and how adjustments need to be made throughout the game.”
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