One To Watch – Russ Cowley
Name: Russ Cowley
DOB: 12/08/1983
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 12st 4lbs
Nationality: British
Position: Centre/Defence
Shoots: Left
Tonight’s one to watch is a veteran British forward, Russ Cowley, he has been around the game in the UK for a long time, this year will be his second season with the Lightning and he will once more be the club captain.
Cowley began his career in Swindon and came up through their junior ranks, he made his senior debut with the Swindon Chill at the age of 16 and played for the next two seasons with the top sides in Swindon at the time; the Phoenix and Lynx. From a young age it was clear that Cowley was talented and had outgrown the level of his hometown club at the time and he made the step up to the British National League with the Coventry Blaze.
For 14 of the next 15 season Cowley would play with the Coventry Blaze, first in the BNL and then the Elite League, he became synonymous with hockey in the city and won a huge amount of silverware with the team. In addition to all this time at the top of the UK game he was also a regular player for Great Britain and over 12 years playing with GB saw him play 66 times for his country and throughout these games he managed a return of 10 goals and 18 assists for 28 points.
In 2017 and after 15 seasons at the top of the UK game Cowley made the choice to retire after a superb career. However, this was only to last 1 season and he was tempted out of retirement by Ashley Tait who had just recently taken over at the Basingstoke Bison. With the Bison, Cowley was named captain and scored at over a point per game but after the single season with Basingstoke, Cowley moved to Milton Keynes and he has been with the Lightning ever since.
