CREDIT: MELANIE ANDERSON
Joe Bowen signs an autograph at Fanshawe after giving a talk about the importance of mentors. The Fanshawe Alumni Association brought Bowen to campus in support of the Larry Myny Mentorship Program at Fanshawe College.

"Don't ever give up your dream." That's how Joe Bowen, voice of the Toronto Maple Leafs, ended his speech on the importance of mentors. Joe was speaking to staff and students at Fanshawe on September 26 in support of the Larry Myny Mentorship Program at Fanshawe College. The program helps students connect with mentors in their desired career path. Joe spoke highly of the mentorship program, "It is such an important thing, and we've all had great people who have sat with us, gave us advice and maybe had a shoulder to cry on when something doesn't go the right way."

Joe has called over 3,000 games throughout his 30-year career with the Leafs. Joe got inspiration listening to broadcasters such as Foster Hewitt and Danny Gallivan. He also praises people such as Bill Pont, who gave him his first big gig doing play-by-play for the Sudbury Wolves. He also mentioned his father, who died before he went to high school. "My dad, before he passed away, asked and demanded that I get a university education." Joe added that attending the University of Windsor was one of his first steps to success.

Joe recalled watching NHL games with his father when he was young; his father would use the phrase "Holy Mackinaw" instead of swearing… which is where Joe got his famous catchphrase from.

Joe is a father himself; he has four boys, one of whom decided to follow in his career footsteps. His son Sean graduated from the College of Sports Media in Toronto and has worked at Sirius XM NHL Home Ice. Last year he travelled with the Leafs, covering the games for AM 640 in Toronto. "It was a really special moment when I got to introduce him for the first hit when he was working with (me)," recalled Joe. "I'm pretty sure he was nervous about it, but he did a great job all through the course of the season."

Joe has been a mentor for Sean, especially as his career has developed. "We would sit down and go over it and say, 'Yeah, you're going too fast, slow down, do this' — just little tips that you get from being a broadcaster for a long time. He took the direction pretty well and he's done a great job," said Joe.

Sean said he appreciates what his father has done for him. "The advantages he has given me with our family's last name have helped me tremendously, but the biggest thing that has furthered me in my young career is being able to take points from him on my work and him being a dad at the end of the day."

There are many qualities that make a good mentor and a good leader, Joe stressed, "It's the ability to listen and the ability to be honest because sometimes you need tough love when you're first starting."

Joe did play-by-play for the Nova Scotia Voyageurs before starting to call games for the Leafs in 1982. He developed a strong relationship with Mike Cranston, one of the veteran broadcasters at the station. "Mike gave me the greatest piece of advice, and that was, 'You have to be yourself, you can't be the next Danny Gallivan, you can't be the next Foster Hewitt, you can't be the next Ray Scott, you need to be the first Joe Bowen, do it your way.'" And that's the advice Joe passes on to up-and-coming broadcasters: "Be yourself, be prepared, and don't be afraid of the microphone, you have to show your personality, you have to show who you are, because in the end, you're selling yourself."