Written By Jan Sims
MIDDLESEX COUNTY - The cheers could be heard long and loud in London and Middlesex County as the London Knights won the Memorial Cup on June 1st. And for many fans, there were special cheers for Mount Brydges’ own Easton Cowan.
Cowan’s standout performance earned him the Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy as the most valuable player of the Memorial Cup. Among those who looked on with a special connection to Easton was his former coach, Jason Clark.
“I first started coaching Easton for spring hockey. I then started coaching him with the Elgin Middlesex Chiefs at the minor pee-wee level and continued through the minor bantam year. My son was on the team and they played together even after I stopped coaching for a couple more years until after the OHL draft year,” says Clark.
As a coach, Clark recognized there was something special about Cowan. “Easton was a top player on our team and in the league. He was fast, high hockey IQ and loved to compete. Just a good all-around player. He was a good teammate, kids had fun on and off the ice the years I coached,” says Clark.
Watching Easton’s standout performance in the Memorial Cup was very gratifying for his former coach. “I’ve followed his career from afar and send him the odd congratulatory text over the years. His dad keeps me in the loop. Watching him and all his accomplishments the last years is very surreal. Fun to watch!,” enthuses Clark.
Cowan has had strong ties to the Middlesex hockey community, having spent the 2021-2022 season with the Komoka Kings. He helped lead the Kings to their most successful regular season.
Clark, who lives in Belmont, is a grade 5 and 6 teacher at South Dorchester Public School. And he brings the best of that team spirit to his classroom. “I chased the dream as a kid, was fortunate to play 4 years of NCAA Div 1 hockey, drafted by Vancouver and played professionally in North America and Europe. Coaching is something I really enjoyed, my satisfaction was seeing the development of the player and team from start of the season until the end. Also just being able to share my passion with the kids passion,” says Clark.
