Br Bill Dowling was like no other and due to his uniqueness, he will never be replaced and his loss has impacted so many people locally and all over the world.
He was such an inspirational man and he moulded the lives of many St Thomas men not just through sport but in their lives as a whole. He had a positive impact on people, took an interest in who they were and had an encyclopaedic knowledge of people’s backgrounds that came through St Thomas of Canterbury College. Due to this, many would say he made St Thomas a place where they felt accepted and part of the College Community.
He had a massive passion for sport, specifically cricket and he gave up thousands of hours of his time to train players during the week and be there for the entire game on a Saturday. This included tours for inter-college matches and the iconic Nudgee Cricket Festivals which St Thomas won for the only time in 1993. In Australia at a tournament one year, he was so convincing that he even talked his way out of a speeding ticket after a cop with a radar gun captured him at excessive speeds at the bottom of a hill. Let’s say his coaching was superior to his driving of the team van!
Back in the day, he was seen regularly in full light blue three striped Adidas tracksuit with his leather duffel bag of training balls. On a couple of occasions, he was on the receiving end of some massive blows by batsman in the nets, notably getting knocked out on one occasion and on another getting a broken jaw. He wasn’t one who wanted any fuss and carried on into his work. In the early days that included being on the tractor preparing pitches and the grounds on the far field.
He also coached to a high Canterbury Under-18 level and brought through many very good cricketers such as the Boyles, Fleming, Astle, etc. He maintained important core values for players under his watch such as integrity, honesty, punctuality, appropriate dress and sportsmanship and these were non-negotiables. Conduct on the field of play was important to Br Bill and you’d have some explaining to do if you breached that at any time.
The closest we heard him swear was his legendary ‘Flaming Heck Man!’ call which, to be honest, we heard quite a bit in response to the teenage ‘brain explosions’ on the cricket field – such as guys giving their wicket away.
Br Bill, sadly your time is done on this earth with us after doing God’s work and influencing so many people. Rest in Peace Bruv, our hero, our legend and our mentor – we will miss you. Your spirit and memory will live on at The Willows through the Br Bill Dowling Trophy and through the people you came into contact with during your life.
Br Bill Dowling (1939–2024)
Willower since 1994