Debin Cowell has joined Ceres High School’s football coaching staff.

The 1999 CHS grad/2018 Bulldog Athletic Hall of Fame inductee was hired in April.

“I loved my years at Central Valley High School,” Cowell said. “I made a lot of relationships with people there. But something was missing. I wanted to come back home.”

“That was an easy hire,” noted longtime Ceres High leader Brett Johnson. “It says a lot when somebody wants to come back and improve a program they were a part of. He’s a Ceres guy.”

Johnson offered 43-year-old Cowell the OC position in March.

“Coach Johnson is not only a great coach but a great man,” Cowell. “He’s such a good person and Christian. That’s what drew me to this position. Those things are important. I’m going to give 1,000 percent every day I’m there.”

Johnson was Cowell’s track and field coach in the eighth grade at Mae Hensley Jr. High.

“He’s always been super competitive,” said Johnson. “He’s a great dude. I love his faith and walk in life. He’s fun to be around.”

Cowell started working with Bulldog skilled-position players in April, including quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers.

They met twice a week on Ceres High’s practice field.

“It was a great opportunity to build relationships with the kids,” Cowell said. “I got to evaluate some of the talent.”

“Getting to know him, he’s a great person,” Bulldogs’ senior receiver/defensive back Reis Smith stated. “All the players love him. He wants you to lock in. He gets his point across. You know when he’s joking. You know when he’s serious. He can be harsh.”

“We’ll be in the huddle,” Smith added. “We’ll call a play and he’ll know exactly what the defense is doing.”

“Coach Cowell is a great coach,” Ceres High senior running back/linebacker Isaac Vizcarra said. “He knows what he’s doing. He’s competitive. He wants us to succeed. As long as you’re paying attention and not making mistakes, he’s pretty chill.”

Cowell brings over three decades of experience as both a coach and player.

“I’ve been around the game my whole life,” Cowell said. “I know football. You got to know how to relate to your players and get the best out of your players.”

“He has a wealth of knowledge,” Johnson added.

Cowell coached at crosstown-rival Central Valley High School for 13 years.

He was the Hawks’ receivers coach on Derrick Goblirsch’s staff this past fall following a three-year absence. Cowell took a break to dedicate more time to raising his three children (Cade, Cylee and Chance) with his wife (Amber).

“I didn’t want to miss any of their stuff,” he stated. “I needed to be a good dad before I was a good coach. We’re empty-nesters now. They moved out of the house.”

“I missed it (coaching),” Cowell added. “I got that fire back.”

Cowell also worked with running backs and quarterbacks under Central Valley’s first varsity football head coach (Tim Garcia Jr., 2005-2011).

“I’ve always been an offensive coach,” he said. “That’s my forte.”

Bulldog coaches and players have embraced Cowell’s vision.

“It’s been a challenge,” he said. “I had to teach my system to the kids and coaches as well. We have a really good staff. We got a lot of guys that know a lot about football. It’s going to be a learning process. Hopefully, we get better and smarter from week to week.”

“Change is what we need,” Vizcarra stated.

“He shows up prepared every day,” Johnson said. “He demands great things out of the kids.”

“He’s a great asset to the team,” Smith added. 

Former Modesto JC head coach Steve DaPrato’s fingerprints are all over Ceres High’s new offense.

DaPrato was Cowell’s head coach at Modesto Junior College.

“It’s the same offense we ran at MJC,” Cowell said. “But I’ve added my own wrinkles to it. You take a little bit from everybody. We’re going to be very balanced and move the chains.”

Cowell was a multi-sport standout with the Bulldogs.

He was enshrined into Ceres High’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2018 for his individual excellence in football and baseball.

Debin’s father Ed Cowell and Ceres High’s undefeated 1968 football team (10-0) were inducted into the Bulldogs’ inaugural Hall of Fame class in 2008. Ed played defensive end for the Mountain Valley League-champion Bulldogs.

Debin earned seven varsity letters at Ceres High, including three in football and four in baseball.

A running back as a sophomore, Cowell starred at quarterback junior and senior years. He earned first-team all-Central California Conference honors.

Cowell was selected to the CCC First Team in baseball as a senior and junior.

He was the conference’s batting-average champ during his final season with the Bulldogs.

Cowell was a two-time all-conference receiver at Modesto Junior College (2000, 2001). He garnered first-team all-NorCal honors as a sophomore.

Cowell transferred to NCAA Division-I San Jose State, where he played in three games before suffering a season-ending injury.

“I was a starter in the spring and summer going into the 2003 season,” he said. “Cade was born and I came home. I stayed home for a whole season and they moved on. I signed with West Virginia Tech and ended up not going.”

“I left things on the table for myself,” Cowell added. “I didn’t reach my potential. Everything in life happens for a reason. Watching my kids reach the levels they’re at has been 10 times more enjoyable. I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”

Cade and Chance signed pro contracts with the San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer in 2019 and 2023, respectively.

Cade currently plays for Chivas de Guadalajara in the Liga MX League.

Chance made his debut with The Town FC, the Earthquakes’ MLS Next Pro team, earlier this month.

Cylee played four seasons of varsity soccer at the prep level, including one at Ceres High and three at Turlock High.

She collected 16 goals and eight assists during her three-year career in Turlock.

Cylee enjoyed her best season to date in 2023 as she totaled 12 goals and five assists. She was voted Central California Athletic League’s Offensive Player of the Year. She also earned first-team all-conference honors.

Debin is employed as a special education teacher at Waterford High School.

He was hired during the 2017-18 academic year.