Berryville Athletic Hall of Fame

There are football players who never leave the field during a game. They’re in for all of the plays on offense, defense, kickoffs, punts, and even coin tosses.

There’s a name for these players: Ironman. Owen Powell of Berryville was one of these players.

Powell’s story is simply remarkable. For Powell, leadership has never been confined to a single arena. Whether anchoring the line for championship football teams, setting records in track and field, coaching young athletes or guiding an entire school system as superintendent, Powell’s life has been defined by service, discipline, and an unwavering commitment to Berryville.

Powell is one of five individuals who will be inducted into the Berryville Athletic Hall of Fame as members of the Class of 2026. He joins Gene Ary, John Engskov, Ken Krumwiede, Owen Powell and Kim Williams. The Carroll County News has profiled each inductee in the weeks leading up to the induction ceremony, to be held Saturday, Aug. 29, in Berryville High School’s Performing Arts Center.

When asked about his development as a young athlete growing up in a small town, he acknowledged the days working on a turkey farm and the heat of hauling hay in a blazing summer sun as two reasons he grew strong. But he also found strength in the solid foundation that his mother, Shirley Hoskins, provided.

As a 1991 graduate of Berryville High School, Powell made his mark early as a fierce competitor and natural leader.

On the football field, he helped power the 1986 junior high conference champion-

ship team before becoming a cornerstone of the Bobcats’ varsity program. A 31-game starter at center, Powell was a two-way starter as a junior and senior and served as team captain for the 1990 conference championship team.

Dominance defined his senior season as Powell earned All-District and All-State honors, was named to the KURM Dream Team, won the John Hanna Award, and was selected as the Star Progress Football Player of the Year. Hooten’s Magazine  recognized him as one of Arkansas’ top offensive linemen in 1990, a fitting honor for a player known for toughness, consistency and leadership.

But football was only part of this Ironman’s story. His work ethic and power translated well into track & field.

Powell excelled in the shot put and discus, becoming one of the top throwers in Arkansas. He won multiple district titles, set a district shot-put record with a throw of 49 feet, 2 inches, and finished third in the Arkansas State Meet as a senior.

While playing in a football game in Fordyce, Powell had his usual dominant performance. The game was witnessed by the head coach from the University of Arkansas at Monticello. The coach asked Coach Ronnie Clark for permission to speak with Powell. This meeting resulted in Powell being offered to play football at UA-Monticello, where he could continue his sports and academic career.

On the gridiron at UA-Monticello, the Berryville Ironman continued to shine. A 34-game starter at right guard, he helped lead UAM to the 1993 Arkansas Intercollegiate Championship and earned All-Arkansas Intercollegiate Football Team honors in both 1993 and 1994. Powell served as team captain in 1994 and 1995, a reflection of the trust teammates and coaches placed in him.

To no one’s surprise, Powell became a two-year letterman in the shot put and discus at UAM.

For many, that would have been a complete athletic legacy. For Powell, it was only the beginning.

Powell got his first chance to coach in 1990, when as an assistant coach, the seventh-grade Bobcats went undefeated. In 1999, he returned full time to Berryville Public Schools, taking on a wide range of coaching responsibilities that reflected both his versatility and devotion to student athletes.

Powell served as head junior high football coach, high school defensive coordinator, offensive and defensive line coach, strength and conditioning coordinator, and contributed in power lifting, track and baseball.

One of his proudest accomplishments came in 2002, when, as defensive coordinator and offensive line coach, he helped lead Berryville High School to a 9-2-1 record, second in the conference, and a playoff victory. To date, this is still the last Berryville football team to win a postseason game.

Powell’s impact grew beyond athletics. Moving into administration, he served in nearly every major leadership role within Berryville Public Schools: assistant principal, director of transportation, athletic director, high school principal, and ultimately superintendent. Each role expanded his influence, but the mission remained the same: serve students, strengthen schools and support community.

It is a journey rooted in the same values that defined his playing days: hard work, accountability, and team before self.

From dominating the line of scrimmage and setting records in the throwing circle, to mentoring athletes and leading a school district, Owen Powell has built a legacy that spans generations.

Today, Powell still serves as superintendent of the Berryville Schools. He and his wife, Colleen, have two children, Cody and Kate.

He’s still building on a hometown legacy in the community that shaped him. Still being the Ironman that never leaves the field.