For the past seven years, Momi Bowles’ Auburn Mountainview volleyball program has established and maintained a tradition of success that includes six consecutive trips to the state tournament.

Change, however, is inevitable and last week Bowles stepped down as coach to concentrate on her candy making business.

Despite leaving as the driving force behind the Lions’ success since the school opened in 2005, Bowles is confident that a firm foundation is in place to support a strong future for the program.

“Auburn Mountainview has been where I’ve experienced the most success, and I attribute that to me starting the program from the ground up,” Bowles said. “It was really a program we created. Our slogan was ‘We Are Mountainview,’ and I preached that constantly. We interacted with each other, worked hard at practice on that and the idea that we will be held accountable someday for starting this, and we need to hold our heads up high and be proud of that.”

COACH

Bowles’ coaching career began 20 years ago.

After a standout high school career in Alaska, Bowles played volleyball at Gonzaga University, where she helped lead the Bulldogs to their first trip to the NCAA Division I tournament. After graduating in 1992, she jumped into coaching and became an assistant at Gonzaga.

In 1994, she began her prep coaching career at Wellpinit High School on the Spokane Indian Reservation, before moving on to North Central High where she was the volleyball coach for 10 years.

In 2001, Bowles moved on to Kent-Meridian where she coached for three years before leaving to start the program at Auburn Mountainview in 2005.

By the time she took over the Lions’ program, Bowles had perfected her team-first coaching style, focusing on player unity rather than just the win-loss record.

The Lions managed to string together an impressive record during Bowles’ tenure, winning three South Puget Sound League 3A championships (2009, 2010, 2011), a West Central District title (2008) and compiling a 103-39 record with six straight trips to the 3A tourney (2006-2011).

Although Bowles acquired a lifetime of memories in her time with the program, she fondly remembers the 2008 district championship team.

“I hear from more girls from that team than any other team,” Bowles said. “A lot of it revolves around the stuff we worked on as a team. We didn’t talk about winning. And when you get that team that does well, you hope it doesn’t get pulled into that trap where it becomes all about a banner. And that group, more than any other, has made it clear how much of an impact being in the program has had on their lives. To me that’s what my coaching has always been about.”

CANDY MAKER

About three years ago Bowles stumbled upon a new passion when she acquired the secret recipe to a candy concoction she calls Mom’s Buttery Soft Toffee.

“It’s my friend’s mom’s secret recipe,” Bowles said. “I waited 10 years to get the recipe. And once I did, I told her I was going to turn it into a business.”

Bowles got to work cooking up batches of toffee and taking orders at local Christmas shows.

The candy was a huge hit.

“We would sell out,” she said. “And we were even cooking after the shows each night trying to keep up with demand.”

As her candy business grew year after year, Bowles realized that she would soon have to make a hard choice.

“The problem was that when I started that I had no idea how these two seasons parallel each other,” Bowles said. “Literally, from the moment volleyball starts is the moment it’s time to prepare for seasonal candy. It became apparent this year that something was going to have to give. To go from school to practice, to cooking, to cutting and to packing and to do that all throughout the season, it was difficult.”

Bowles continued:

“I love my volleyball program here,” Bowles said. “But I think after this season, I just sat down and took an honest look at the amount of time that each of these took. I’m passionate about both, but it just seemed the right time to move into and start working on some new professional and personal goals for myself. And to know that I could finish here at Mountainview having accomplished a job well done and set up the program the way I wanted to, it was time.”

Although Bowles plans to devote a good part of her energy to her business, she will remain at Auburn Mountainview as a physical education teacher.

She hopes to do some club coaching in the future and continue her role as director of the Gonzaga summer volleyball camp.

“I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished with the program here,” Bowles said. “I’m really hoping that they can fill (the coaching spot) with someone who will appreciate the selflessness of the program and what’s been set up.

“There is obviously a lot of talent here and my hope is that they won’t skip a beat. That was one of the things that I shared with all the kids. I told them they should march right back to state next year. There is a lot of returning kids who had a tremendous amount of playing time this year and know what’s expected.”

For more information on Mom’s Toffee visit here.