Hall of Fame
Jim McGowan is the winningest highest school softball coach in New York State. From 1983-2011, he captured dozens of championships and shattered numerous records as the head coach at Bay Shore High School (Section XI). During his career he accumulated a 661-89 record (.881 winning percentage), notched a record seven NYSPHSAA State championships, 10 Long Island titles, 13 Suffolk County crowns, and 25 league championships. Other gaudy career accomplishments of his teams include 22 shutouts in the 1998 season, a tear of 72 scoreless defensive innings in 2006 and an 84-game league winning streak from 1992-95. McGowan also led his teams to the longest overall winning streak in Long Island history by winning 56 consecutive games spanning from 1994-1996. During that run, his program recorded two undefeated seasons and ultimately earned the distinctions of “Team of the Decade” and “Coach of the Decade” for the 90’s by Newsday. Newsday also recognized Coach McGowan as Long Island Coach of the Year four times (2001, 2005, 2006, and 2010) while NYSCOGS named him New York State Coach of the Year six times (1994-96, 1998, 2001, 2005). In 2006, he was inducted into the Frank McGuire Foundation Hall of Fame, in 2010 he was inducted into in the Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame, and in 2014 he was inducted into the New York State Softball Hall of Fame. Over his 29 seasons coaching, McGowan developed over 100 players who continued on to play college softball, 45 of which were played at NCAA Division I schools. Prior to his success on the field, he was an outstanding three-sport athlete at New York Institute of Technology as a captain on the football team and member of both the lacrosse and tennis teams. NYIT inducted him into their Sports Hall of Fame in 2008. Following college graduation, Jim began playing modified fast pitch softball and did so at a high level. He was eventually inducted into the ASA Hall of Fame as a player.