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Jon "Sackmaster " Kowalyshen (born April 14, 1982) is an experienced American football player who balanced time with the United Indoor Football League (UIF), Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL) and the Indoor Football League (IFL). He is currently a free agent. He began his respectable college football career at William Rainey Harper College while serving under dynasty-maker John Eliasik allowing the team the team two consecutive NJCAA bowl game appearances. He devoted the next two years to Western Illinois University, accepting two Gateway All-Conference Selections, an All-Newcomer Team selection honoring his satisfactory junior season and was responsible for 11 sacks, which lead the team his senior year. In the global world of gaming, Kowalyshen can be seen wearing number 39 for WIU on EA Sports NCAA Football 2003 for both XBOX and Sony's PS2. His high school football career was played under long-term head coach George Duffy at West Leyden High School. Playing ironman football there, anchoring the O-line, D-line and special teams, he made all-state for 2 consecutive seasons, the latter of which led to a second-round playoff appearance Alongside being the all-time authority in career sacks in Illinois history with 39 (his junior season with 16 sacks, senior season with 23), he also is responsible for the records: sacks in a game (6), blocked kicks in a game (2), and blocked kicks in his career (9) with respectable others. While there, he sacked twice nationally ranked and future Chicago Bear quarterback Kurt Kittner who then played for Schaumburg High School. ESPN's top 10 plays of the week in 2003 highlighted Kowalyshen's inventive sack technique in a playoff blizzard, defending a Colgate University quarterback on an essential 4th down denial. Timeless wins in his collegiate career have been posted against an excellent, now 3-time NFL pro-bowler Tony Romo of Eastern Illinois University in a playoff showdown, and also against a powerful 2-time NFL All-Pro Michael Turner of Northern Illinois University.

Awards and Honors

 * 1997 IHSA All-State Special Mention (Defense)
 * 1998 IHSA All-State First Team (Defense)
 * 1998 The West Suburban Gold Conference Defensive Player of the Year
 * 2000 First-Team NJCAA Midwest Football Conference Honors
 * 2000 Appearance in the NJCAA Dixie Rotary Bowl vs Dixie Community College Rebels
 * 2001 First-Team NJCAA Midwest Football Conference Honors
 * 2001 Appearance in the Canon Empire State Bowl ranked 16th nationally vs the 13th ranked Nassau Community College Lions
 * 2002 Gateway All-Newcomer Award Recipient
 * 2002 Gateway All-Conference Award Recipient
 * 2003 Gateway All-Conference Award Recipient
 * 2007 CIFL First-Team Defense
 * 2007 CIFL Special Teams Player of the Week Honors (3 Blocked kicks in one game)
 * 2009 CIFL Special Teams Player of the Week (4 sacks in one game)

College Career
At Western Illinois University, Jon played under head football coach Don Patterson and Former NFL Pro-Bowler Ronnie Harmon. In his senior season the Leathernecks were ranked #1 in the nation and remained at the top of the rankings throughout. Teammates from his time at Western who have gone on to the NFL include P Mike Scifres (San Diego Chargers), QB Russ Michna (St Louis Rams, LB Jason McWilliams (St Louis Rams), FB RJ Luke (Seattle) and LB Phil Archer (NFL Europe). The 2003 Leatherneck team notably, which Kowalyshen was part, were the only Division 1-AA team to not just defeat the eventual National Champion Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, but shut them out 14-0 earlier in the season. Despite being only part of a division 1-AA program, his team was still capable of posting wins over the division 1-A Eagles of Eastern Michigan and Huskies of Northern Illinois. His 2003 campaign, when visiting Death Valley in a Davey vs Goliath matchup against SEC titan LSU, showcased a valiant defensive effort by the Leathernecks, holding then-#2 nationally ranked Tigers to only a 13-7 halftime lead while forcing 5 turnovers. Western Illinois had a combined 20-6 record in his two seasons and reached the quarterfinals, the Pecan Bowl, of the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs both times.

Professional Career
Kowalyshen's Professional Indoor Football career spanned the course of 6 seasons with 4 teams and in 3 different leagues.

Sioux City Bandits (2006)
In Sioux City, Jon played under head coach Jose Jefferson with the Bandits for his rookie season. The team finished with a 6-9 record and clinched a playoff berth against the Rock River Raptors. In 16 games with the club he was a force on defense. Leading the team with 6.5 sacks for -39 yards, he also posted 9.5 tackles for loss, blocked 6 kicks and was 4th on the team in tackles with 52.5. Other statistics of note include 8 quarterback hits, 2 fumble recoveries, a forced fumble and a pass break-up. Interestingly, the year before Kowalyshen signed with Sioux City star running back Fred Jackson led the UIF in rushing for the Bandits before signing with the NFL's Buffalo Bills.

Chicago Slaughter (2007)
Head coach and NFL Super Bowl Champion Steve "Mongo" McMichael's inaugural season with the Chicago Slaughter was also Kowalyshen's first year with the team. Playing at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, the Slaughter finished their first regular season with a 9-3 record and clinched a berth in the playoffs. Jon lead the team again with 13 sacks in 12 regular season games, had 47.5 tackles and posted an unbelievable 3 blocked kicks in a a single game (He blocked 10 kicks all season). In 2 playoff games with the 2007 Slaughter Jon scored a defensive touchdown, a safety, blocked 2 kicks, had 7 tackles for loss, forced a fumble and added another sack. Notable teammates of his here have include the late Walter "Sweetness" Payton's son and running back Jarrett Payton and AFL Defensive Player of the Year Dennison Robinson.

Rock River Raptors (2009)
In playing 12 games with the Raptors under head coach Dave Jones, Kowalyshen's highlight-reel moment came when he tied the all-time CIFL single-game sack record with 4. His year-end sack total in 2009 fished at 12, an average of 1 per game. His statistics for 2009 included 62 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 6 blocked kicks, 3 forced fumbles and 1 fumble recovery.

Chicago Slaughter (2010-2012)
Back with the Slaughter after a brief stint in Rock River, Kowalyshen would be a staple on defense for the next 3 years, contributing to 2 more berths in the playoffs. One of those berths, which pitted the Slaughter against IFL rival Green Bay Blizzard, finished with the Slaughter ending Green Bay's season and moved Chicago on to the second playoff round. While continuing to play in 42 games for the Slaughter, Kowalyshen would post 131 tackles, 18 sacks, 16 blocked kicks, 19 tackles for loss, 6 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 5 pass break-ups and a defensive touchdown. The Slaughter had a combined record of 31-25 (2-3 playoffs) in his 4 years total with the team.

Bloomington Extreme (2012)
Initially for the 2012 season Kowalyshen had signed with Bloomington Extreme and started 3 games. Kowalyshen was notified of his release by the Extreme only to be picked up immediately by the Slaughter once again.