Rowley’s grand design pays off

After earning his degree from Brown University in 2001, Kyle Rowley knew most of the world, including his friends and family, expected him to enter the work force and begin carving out a profitable career in graphic design.

Rowley had other ideas. He wanted to continue playing football, even after spending three years as a backup quarterback and only one season as the starter at Brown.

His decision to play arenafootball2 drew curious glances from parents James and Debra and might have cost him a girlfriend along the way, but four years later Rowley said it’s all been worth it – even the 37-hour drive from the East Coast to Spokane in May.

Rowley appears to have found a home with the Shock, his fourth af2 address. He displaced Alex Neist as the starter three games ago, even though Neist had led the Shock to a 9-2 record. Rowley has engineered three consecutive wins – three of Spokane’s easiest wins of the season – to cement his hold on the job and provide evidence that head coach Chris Siegfried made the right decision in changing quarterbacks.

“Anytime you have a chance to pick up a good player, you have to do it,” Siegfried said. “If you want to look at it as an insurance policy, I guess, but fortunately for us, he’s turned out to be a lot more than that.”

Since Rowley has taken over as the starter, Spokane (12-2) has scored on all but a couple of possessions, an offensive surge it hopes to continue in its final home game of the regular season against Everett on Saturday.

“I’m just happy to be here,” Rowley said. “At times in this league things look really bleak and because of the (low) pay a lot of people cut short their careers. But since I’ve come to Spokane everything has come full circle for me, and I think I’m about to reap the rewards of all that patience.”

Rowley has put up big numbers before. He was one of af2’s top passers for Columbus in 2004. He has beaten out big-name quarterbacks before. He won the starting job at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in 2005 over Tim Hicks, one of the league’s best.

But he’s also been on the “bleak” side. He suffered a shoulder injury that limited him last season. He split time at Manchester earlier this season before getting traded to Bossier City/Shreveport. Rowley decided against joining the woeful Battle Wings, who are 2-12, and took a calculated risk in coming to Spokane.

Rowley talked with former Columbus teammate Rob Keefe, Shock defensive specialist, who politely told Rowley to “get my butt out here.” Rowley and his girlfriend drove 37 hours in his Impala to make it in time for a Tuesday practice.

“I was looking to play in the playoffs – that’s what I thought I needed to do to prove myself to AFL teams,” Rowley said. “I was in the top three in basically every category for Columbus, but we had a losing record. Basically, I have to do what I did in Columbus and do it with a contender and in the playoffs. That’s what AFL teams are looking for.”

Siegfried promised Rowley a fair chance, but the rest was up to the 6-foot, 195-pounder who possesses quick feet and an accurate arm. Rowley’s first opportunity came against Quad City and he was an unimpressive 1 for 4. He didn’t see the playing field again until Siegfried predetermined that Rowley would play in the second half against Albany on June 24.

“I guess I was a little rusty in the Quad City game,” Rowley said. “He didn’t say it in so many words, but I knew my first couple throws against Albany were critical because if I threw one more in the dirt he’d be shaking his head.”

Rowley directed a second-half comeback and was named the starter the following week. Neist asked for his release and is playing for Bakersfield.

Rowley knows job security is rare in af2, all the more reason to enjoy his current situation. Spokane is ranked No. 1 and is one of the favorites to make the ArenaCup.

“While I was at Brown, I put in a lot of work and time to play one season and I didn’t feel like putting in three or four years of work for just one season was enough,” said Rowley, who does freelance graphic design jobs when time permits. “It was tough to convince people that (af2) was a sane decision. I think that was one of the reasons I broke up with my girlfriend at the time and my parents shook their heads at it for a couple of years. They didn’t know where I got my patience from.

“My mom is the type that gets a little nervous and this isn’t exactly a secure profession to go in to. I sat her down and said, ‘Look at my three or four years and look at the progression.’ I’m getting closer to my goal and if you’re in the AFL you can make a career of it.”

All it took was making the proper career decision five years ago.