For anyone watching the Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games last Friday, the events definitely had a futuristic look to them. And they should as Paris last hosted the Summer Games in 1924 — 100 years ago.
There has understandably been a lot of technological and social advances over that time span. Viewers were treated to a Parade of Nations via a caravan of boats down the River Seine, a robotic horse and rider carrying the Olympic flag and a torch relay that ended with a ride on a hot air balloon — all amid a downpour.
Much of the fanfare was fizzled by the inclement weather, though the Eiffel Tower, fitted with sparkling electric lights, produced on dazzling cue.
The boat carrying the United States team included 592 athletes (642 entries) from 46 states, California included (123 athletes).
Santana High School alumnus Alex Bowen is representing East County in the pool — a different kind of wet — as a member of Team USA’s men’s water polo squad. Bowen, a 2011 SHS graduate and Stanford University alumnus (2011-14), scored two goals in the Americans’ 12-8 loss to Italy in their opening Group A match on Sunday. He rebounded with three goals in Tuesday’s 14-8 win over Romania as the Americans evened their opening mark to 1-1. Additional preliminary-round matches are against Greece and Montenegro. Quarterfinals are Aug. 7, followed by semifinals on Aug. 9. The bronze medal match is scheduled Aug. 10, followed by the gold medal match Aug. 11.
The U.S. men’s water polo timeline includes five Olympic medals, including one gold medal and two silver and bronze medals each. Team USA latest Olympic medal was silver at the 2008 Beijing Games.
The Americans pulled off consecutive silver medal performances in 1984 (Los Angeles) and 1988 (Seoul) during the Terry Schroeder timeline.
The six-foot-five Bowen represents the newest generation of U.S. men’s water polo players and follows in Schroeder’s mighty footprints as a three-time Olympian (2016, 2020, 2024).
“Alex Bowen was an amazing student-athlete here at Santana as I had him in my AP European history class his sophomore year,” Santana High School athletic director Lucas Phillips said. “He could arguably go down as the greatest Santana athlete of all time when his career is all said and done. He definitely was a huge piece of putting Santana water polo on the map.
“He is an extremely hard worker and amazing teammate and friend to anyone he meets. He is very humble with all that he has accomplished but, in the pool, he is a fierce competitor. He was the model student-athlete in high school and Santana High School athletics and our water polo community is so proud of him representing Team USA in the Olympics.
“We have been trying to put him in our school Hall of Fame for years, but he continues to play professionally in Europe and represent our country for Team USA. Once his career is over, he will automatically be put in our Hall of Fame. We are just waiting to honor him in person. Not too many high schools have Olympians, let alone a player like Alex who is in his third Olympics. Alex Bowen is amazing!”
Aquaman
Alex Bowen is the son of Rod and Barbara Bowen and brother of Eric Bowen. The family is steeped in local aquatics lore. Rod has coached the sport at Santana High School for 30 years, winning numerous accolades, including 16 consecutive league titles at one point, and respect among his peers. The Sultans celebrated the 2021 post-COVID San Diego Section water polo championships by capturing the Division II title.
It was a history-making moment for both the boys and girls Santana teams by winning gender titles in the same season in the same pool on the same day. But the seeds for greatness were planted long ago.
Alex Bowen began his aquatics career at age 8, likely watching his father’s water polo practices. He played water polo and competed on the swim team all four years as a Sultan, serving as captain on the water polo team his junior and senior seasons and the swim team as a junior.
The San Diego Section recordholder with 547 goals, Bowen helped lead Santana to Grossmont North League championships in 2007 and 2008 and Grossmont Valley League titles in 2009 and 2010. He earned honors as GNL and GVL Player of the Year in 2008, 2009 and 2010. He was named the CIF Player of the Year as a senior.
During his high school days, he also played club water polo for San Diego Shores. He proved to be a man among boys there as well by helping Shores place third in the 2010 Junior Olympics and fourth place in 2011.
He wasn’t finished, as it turned out, but just starting.
The newly minted Santana graduate went on to score 253 goals at Stanford, No. 1 in program history for the Cardinal. Considered one of the best and hardest shooters on Team USA, Bowen returns for a third Olympic Games better than ever at 30 backed by professional experience in Greece, Hungary, Croatia and France.
“I’ve always wanted to get the most out of the sport I love,” he told the USA Water Polo website.
Family affair
Given the current state of world affairs, international travel has become expensive. Rod and Barbara Bowen were able to travel to Paris to watch their son play with the help of a GoFundMe account created by the Santana strength coach Andrew Harman and his wife Melissa, whose three sons played under Rod’s tutelage. The Harman family wanted to help pay back for all the time, effort and love for the sport that the SHS coach has put in over time, especially in offering inspiration to young athletes. The funding goal was $10,000. Donations reached $9,100 and the fund-raiser was considered a success. Rod Bowen thanked everyone for the donations. “It is greatly appreciated, and I am very humbled by it.”
Red, White and Blue
Water polo is one sport understandably dominated by players from warm climes with year-round access to water, specifically the Pacific Ocean.
Fourteen of the 15 squad members on the 2024 Team USA men’s roster are from California, including 10 from Southern California, four from Long Beach. Similarly, 15 of the 17 members of the U.S. women’s water polo team are California natives. The U.S. ladies got off to a promising start with a 15-6 win over Greece but dropped a 13-11 matchup against Spain in their next game.
