Jim Rowland is a Little Rock native, who has lived in the Fort Smith area since 1963. Rowland received his BSE from Arkansas State Teachers College in 1963. He received his Master of Science in Education from State College of Arkansas in 1971. He also received his Secondary Administrative Certificate from the University of Arkansas and received his Certified Athletic Administration in 2003. Rowland started his coaching career in 1963 as the head football and track coach at Fort Smith Darby Junior High. From 1966-1970 he was the offensive coordinator at Fort Smith Northside. He later became the head football coach and athletic coordinator at Fort Smith Southside. He served as the head football coach through ’82. Rowland was an assistant principal at Southside from 1982-1991. He became the school’s athletic director in 1992 and currently holds the same position. Rowland was president of the Arkansas High School Athletic Administrators Association from 1995-1997. He was the Athletic Director of the Year in 1999 and 2001 and received the AHSAAA’s State Award of Merit in 1994 and the Distinguished Service Award in 1998 and 2013. Rowland served on the National Federation of High Schools’ Advisory Board for four years. He received the NFHS Citation in 2000 and the Arkansas Activities Association Citation Award in 2014.
In 2009 the football stadium at Southside High School was named in his honor. He was selected to the Southside Hall of Honor and Northside Hall of Fame in 2014 and the Southside Ring of Honor this school year.
Rowland has been married to Norma Rowland, a retired teacher , for 53 years. They have two children and seven grandchildren. His son Steve Rowland and his wife Jill have four children – Jack and Connor Rowland and Grace Ann and Joe Rothwell. His son Matt Rowland and his wife Jolee have two children – Landen and Hayden and one granddaughter, Jordyn.
Rowland is a member of Grand Avenue Baptist Church where he serves as Deacon and as a member of the Board of Overseers.