Remembering Holly Bowles – The Footballer and Dual Premiership Winner
“Great ability to unsettle forwards and is very cool under pressure”
This is how the SMJFL described Holly in the build up to the pinnacle of Junior Girls football - The 2023 Under 18 Division 1 Girls Grand Final.
The Grand Final itself was a dog fight against the highly fancied Prahran team and after going to the ¾ time break marginally in front, our girls knew Prahran were going to come at them hard in the 4th quarter. Step up Holly Bowles!
It’d be correct to say that almost all the play in that final quarter was concentrated in Prahran’s forward 50, our defence was under siege. But no one was more desperate and more determined than key defender Holly Bowles. There are photos of her grimly hanging onto the ball under packs, surrounded by Prahran players, she was there making courageous tackles as our girls hung on heroically to the final siren. After the game she was exhausted having given her all, but this was Holly.
In that Grand Final, as in all games, Holly didn’t lose ‘one on one’ contests, ever! If you were tackled by Holly you knew about it! If there was a 50:50 ball to be won, consider it 70:30 in Holly’s favour. Holly was universally regarded by her teammates as an awesome defender (sometimes midfield tagger), who you could trust to hold the backline together. In addition to Holly’s tenacity on the field, her other great attribute was her ability to lead and connect with everyone in the team. Never one to miss training, she would set the standard with intensity and attentiveness and importantly ensure everyone was included and felt they belonged in the team.
Holly’s coach for the past 3 seasons, Paul Zahra added his thoughts, “Holly played with a quiet confidence that spoke volumes. She was tough, physical, and consistent, and always wanting to improve. She always wanted to get better, taking on feedback with the goal of improving her skills and her defensive craft. Holly was the ultimate team player. She never sought the spotlight, but her quiet confidence and strong work ethic made her someone you could always count on to step up when it mattered. This was key in our 2022 and 2023 Grand Final wins.”
Holly’s career at the BFC started in 2018 in the U14 Div 4 Girls team. She progressed to Division 1 level the following year. In 2021 she played all games in the U16 Div1 comp before progressing to U18s in 2022, winning the U18s Reserves Grand Final in a team that included her great friend Bianca Jones. Still eligible for U18s footy in 2023 Holly went ‘back to back’, this time taking out the prized Division 1 title.
This year Holly made the transition to Senior footy, playing most of the season in the VAFA Premier B Reserves, while making her Senior debut against Westbourne Grammarians on July 13th.
Coach Zahra continued, “This season, her growth was huge. She really took her defensive game and decision-making to the next level. She became a leader in the backline, and her reliability and growing confidence gave the team a real sense of security — we knew she’d always be there getting the hard-ball when the game was on the line. I can genuinely say that you couldn’t ask for a better person or team player.”
Holly played 78 games for the Beaumaris Football Club and would have exceeded the 100 game milestone had Covid not interfered.
A constant throughout Holly’s career was her dad Shaun who was always there, either as a Team Manager or Assistant Coach. No one was prouder of his girl’s achievements than Shaun, a hard-working BFC volunteer and devoted dad.
Off the field, Holly was quiet and unassuming, but her quiet confidence always shone through. She didn’t crave attention, yet her kindness, grace, and beautiful soul made her someone everyone admired and respected.
She had a real knack for connecting with people. Her calm, easy-going nature helped her quickly build strong relationships with teammates. And despite her quiet side, Holly always loved a good chat, bringing plenty of fun and light-heartedness to the group. She was embraced by the Senior girls, not just for her undeniable football ability, but also someone everyone respected and admired.
Holly will live forever in our hearts as a wonderful friend, a committed team-mate and a damn good footballer. A true Shark!
Vale Holly Bowles #32, 2005 – 2024
