Karen Bowering is a woman you can depend on – she is a devoted friend, a loyal teammate and a dedicated work colleague.
The 46-year-old has committed her life and given longevity to one job and one club in the sports she has played and she values life-long friendships.
One in particular is good friend Maxine Harris with whom she has shared a friendship since junior primary school.
In July Ms Bowering celebrated 30 years employment at the Solomontown Primary School, a job she took when she left school, as a teacher’s aid.
She had, as a five-year-old, attended this same school before transferring to Airdale Primary School and then finishing her education at Pirie High.
To gain the position at the Solly school she had to have a musical background and obtain a bus licence.
Guitarist
Being a self-taught guitarist she passed on that requirement, but she never did pass the stipulation of the licence.
“Thirty years on I still have not got a bus licence,” Ms Bowering said.
The young aide started helping in junior primary making posters and working with crafts, progressing through middle school and upper primary, and now has the title of school services
officer, but she also helped in the office.
Ten years ago she was promoted to office manager and in September gained her level two qualifications. For most of those years, Ms Bowering was a casual worker. “It took 23 years to be given a permanent position,” she said.
At one time she had an ambition to be a teacher, but is happy in her present role.
“I wasn’t confident in my ability to get a degree so I have got the next best thing,” she said.
For 15 years she enjoyed teaching Sunday School and for many years belonged to the Lutheran Youth Group where she became a group leader.
Youth work
“I still go to camp at Melrose once a year to cook for the 13 to 16-year-olds in the youth group,” she said.
Her involvement in the church led her to start her sport career with the Lutheran netball and softball clubs under the charge of renowned coach, Pastor Ern Heyne.
It is only because of the disbanding of the Lutheran sports teams that she played for other clubs.
Born in Port Pirie the youngest of four siblings, Ms Bowering along with her sisters and brother had a traumatic and tragic experience in 2001 when their parents Betty and Graham Bowering died 23 days apart leaving the family grief stricken.
The keen sportswoman who started playing softball at 10 played in A grade at 12 is still playing A grade for Cougars and on top of this plays every year at the Masters Softball Championships in Adelaide.
In the early years she played most of her games as catcher or pitcher, but the versatile player has now become a valuable utility.
“I haven’t played the same position yet this season,” she laughed.
The dependable coach is in charge of Cougars A2 side and for many years has been a combined player and coach for the Port Pirie Softball Association.
As well, she has been the secretary for both Cougars and the association and has been awarded a life membership to the association, also being the recipient of several major trophies.
She was honored with being the first life member for her beloved club, which was presented to her in 2002, and meanwhile she has amassed an incredible 550 games in her 36-year career. “Softball is my life,” she said.
After starting netball at the age of eight with Lutherettes, she played for Port from 1986 to 2004, earning her a 15-year playing service medal.
During her association with this club, she coached at senior level until 2005 when she retired and had also coached combined teams for the Port Pirie Netball Association.
Comeback
But the daughter of a good friend of Ms Bowering has been transferred to Solly school and has talked her into making a comeback in the F grade for the Crystal Brook Club.
The energetic sportswoman has played volleyball and basketball, mostly for fun and fitness, and in these two sports and softball she has always worn the number eight.
Her greatest joy is camping, laying in her swag, gazing at the stars.
“My favourite place is Barrows Beach near Port Germein and an underground tank which has been transformed into a huge party room on a family property near Crystal Brook,” Ms Bowering said.
Life at work is full on so she regularly enjoys this leisurely pastime with good friend “Black Bill” with who she has shared an 18-year friendship and the couple like to get away weekends when his work-shifts permit.
She also relaxes doing cross-stitch which she learned while recovering from an operation in 2005.
“It doesn’t require much thinking,” she said.
Fond memories
The loving daughter talks fondly of her late parents and said she wears an eternity ring which belonged to her mother. It is her most cherished possession. She also has her mother’s 21st birthday key which is made from chrome and is a sentimental favorite.
It is plain that Ms Bowering has a wonderful rapport with the youth in the community with her life spent helping with their growth and development.
“My job with the children and my involvement with young kids and teenagers has given me so much fulfilment, filling the void in my life of not having any children of my own,” she said.
And she does have a very spoilt member of the family, Asha her six-year-old Coolie-Collie-Kelpie female dog.
The amiable Ms Bowering is happy with her life and has one goal.
“I am looking forward to buying a piece of land and eventually building my little dream home,” she said.
PHOTO: SPORT STAR…
Karen Bowering proudly shows her framed softball shirt that was presented to her on reaching a milestone of 550 games for the Cougars Softball Club. She is still playing A grade for Cougars and coaches the A2 team.
She is also involved in working with young people. Every year she cooks for teenagers at the Lutheran Youth Group camp at Melrose.
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