Coaches

• Dennis DorrBishop Hogan/Bishop Ward/St. Pius X

  Coach Dennis Dorr began his 25-year career in 1977 as the head coach at Bishop Hogan. Then in 1986 Coach Dorr moved north of the river to coach the Warriors of St. Pius X for 3-seasons before arriving at Bishop Ward, his alma mater, in 1986. As an athlete at Ward, Dorr was a member of the 1971 State Championship Team and earned All-State and All-Metro Honors in 1972. Coach Dorr's Cyclone team found sustained success ending his career tied with Tom Dorney for most wins in school history and Coach of the Year honors in 1989 and 1991. A former player of Coach Dorr commented, “One of the greatest lessons learned from him is to be humble. His teams weren't always the most talented, but they were disciplined and very physical. He made such an impact on my life that I viewed him as a second father figure.” Coach Dorr was selected into the Benedictine College Hall of Fame in 2006.

• Mark FraseOlathe North/SM West/SM South

  Coach Mark Frase began his 30-year career in 1986 as the offensive line and then defensive coordinator for the mighty Olathe North teams in the late 90's. Those teams won three-straight state titles in 1996, ‘97, and ‘98 led in part to the stifling defense of Coach Frase. Mark then spent three seasons at the college level coordinating the defense for Mid-America Nazarene before returning to the Sunflower League at Shawnee Mission West in 2004 helping them to a state championship game appearance in 2006. Coach Frase served in the same role as the defensive coordinator at Shawnee Mission South and Salina South before retiring in 2017. Fellow coach Tim Callahan acknowledges, “Coach Frase has had a tremendous influence on many good programs. He has mentored many coaches who themselves have gone onto great careers. He is a humble man who has spent many years with FCA and used his time to mentor many young athletes in need.”

• Francis Galbraith Redemptorist/North Kansas City

  Coach Francis Galbraith began his coaching career in 1949 as head coach for Redemptorist earning an impressive 23-4 record in three-seasons. Coach Galbraith then moved to North Kansas City High School in 1952 serving as an assistant football coach and head baseball coach until 1956 when he would assume the head coaching duties for the Hornets. Coach Galbraith's 1957 team would go undefeated and earn a spot ranked as one of the best teams in the nation. He earned Coach of the Year honors twice, four Pony Express Conference championships, and one Suburban Conference Championship. GKCFCA Hall of Fame Class of 2015 inductee and legendary Raytown Coach Ted Chitwood wrote of Coach Galbraith, “Francis was one of the top people in the Metropolitan area in the coaching profession. His players were well coached, poised and confident. Francis always wanted to make good men as well as good players out of his boys.” A graduate of Bishop Ward, Coach Galbraith joined the Navy after earning his degree at Southeast Missouri State and received a Purple Heart and other commendations for his valour in WWII. He retired as an assistant principal from North Kansas City High in 1982 and passed away in 2007. Bob Ginavan - Pleasant Hill/Olathe North/Blue Valley North/Olathe South/Leavenworth In a 36+ year career, Coach Bob Ginavan has left his mark all over the Greater Kansas City Metro. Beginning at Pleasant Hill High School in 1977 he would find himself serving in offensive and defensive coordinator roles at Olathe North, Blue Valley North, Olathe South, Warrensburg, and Leavenworth High Schools. His Olathe North teams were perennial league, dtistrict, sectional and sub-state champions. While at Olathe South Coach Ginavan was a part of two state runner-ups and one State Championship. In 2014 Coach Ginavan helped Leavenworth win their first district championship game in school history. GKCFCA Hall of Fame Class of 2017 Inductee Mark Litrell remarked, “Bob coached fundamentals and teamwork. Having him on staff was like having another head coach that I could lean on and trust.” In addition to his duties at his school Coach Ginavan was active in the association as he served on the MO-KAN All-Star Coaching staffs several summers.

• Bob HicksPembroke Country-Day/Pembroke Hill

  Few people leave a mark on one place as distinct as Coach Bob Hicks did at Pembroke Hill, or Pembroke Country-Day, as the school was known when he arrived in 1967. As an assistant coach on GKCFCA Hall of Fame Class of 2019 Lee Flappan's staff, Bob also taught math and prepared himself to take over the program nine years later. From 1975-1998 Coach Hicks led the Raiders to eight conference championships, two state runner-up appearances and a school record 143 victories. His former players also remain devoted to him and the mark he left on their lives. Floyd May recalled, “Coach Hicks used the game of football to teach life lessons and helped young boys become young men. On game day, Coach used to tell us that we were the luckiest kids in America because: “It's Friday night, the lights are on.... and you're playing high school football”. I'd say we were lucky because we played for Coach Hicks.” Coach Hick's legacy at Pembroke Hill is deep and his colleagues over the years also remember his influence on them as young teachers as formative. He was inducted into the Pembroke Hill Faculty and Staff Hall of Fame in 1992 and was inducted into the Missouri Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 2000.

• Tom Kruse Harrisonville/Park Hill/Park Hill South/Raymore-Peculiar

  Coach Tom Kruse is Raymore-Peculiar. He grew up in Raymore and was a member of the state championship baseball team and the quarterback of the football team. After attending Northwest Missouri State where he played quarterback as well, Kruse began his career in coaching and teaching at Harrisonville. Kruse was also an assistant at Park Hill and Park Hill South coaching football, girls' basketball and track. In 2000 he returned home to Ray-Pec as the head football coach. Over the next 20 seasons his teams would go 147-90 winning three straight Missouri Class 5 state titles in 2004, 2005 and 2006. During that run the Panthers also had a 28-game winning streak. His team also finished second in 2002 and had many district and conference championships. Kruse retired after the 2019 season after leading his team to the Missouri Class 6 semifinals.

• Phil LascuolaHogan Prep Academy

  Coach Lascuola has the distinction of being one of the longest standing active coaches in the Kansas CIty Area. Since 1994 he has patrolled the sideline of the Hogan Prep Rams amassing over 200 wins along the way. His teams have become known for their physicality and explosive scoring. The Rams were state runner-ups in 2006 and have earned five district titles. Coach Lascuola has earned Coach of the Year honors from the KC Star and has been recognized as a Coach of the Week four times by the Kansas CIty Chiefs. Additionally, Coach Lacuola remains active with the GKCFCA having coached in the MO-KAN All-star Game three-times and was the head coach in 2009. On his way to an impressive run of 21 consecutive winning seasons, Coach Lascuola has influenced former players and coaches in tremendous ways. A former player and assistant coach on his staff explained how Phil's mentorship goes beyond the X's and O's: “He feeds kids, picks them up for school, takes them home, attends weddings, births, and sadly some funerals. Phil is easily considered a member of each of his players' families.”

• Buddy YoungBlue Springs/Grain Valley/North Kansas City/Blue Spring South

  Coach Young began his career in 1977 as an assistant on, GKCFCA Hall of Fame Inductee, Fred Merrill's staff at Blue Springs. In 1984 he moved down the road to Grain Valley where they won two conference championships in his four years at the helm. Coach Young then led North Kansas City until 1994 earning another conference championship in 1988. It would be his final high school coaching stop at Blue Springs South that would bring an undefeated season to an end in a state runner-up finish in 1995. Coach Young has also been an active member of the GKCFCA serving on the Board of Directors and a tenure as a Past President. Former assistant coach for Buddy at Blue Spring South, GKCFCA Hall of Fame Class of 2016 Inductee, Greg Oder identifies what he believes are Coach Young's greatest attributes. “He was not only a great coach, but he felt his players were his family. He took care of them like they were his own. When he came to South he did not bring one assistant coach with him, he kept all of us on staff and took us to the state championship game in his first year. INCREDIBLE! He united the staff and made us all closer. He was successful at every school he was at and I owe a lot to Coach Young.”

• Chase CoffmanRaymore-Peculiar/University of Missouri/NFL

  Chase Coffman is one of the most talented tight ends to play football in the Kansas City Metro. He was a three-time All-State player and won the Simone Award as the best player in Kansas City his senior year. That season Coffman caught 41 passes for 886 yards and 16 touchdowns leading the Panthers to their first of three straight Missouri Class 5 state championships. He then went to the University of Missouri and was a four-year starter during one of the Tigers' most successful stretches in program history. Coffman was a freshman All-American, led all big 12 tight ends in catches and yards. He would be a finalist for the John Mackey Award given to the top tight end in the country three times winning it during his 2008 senior season. Coffman finished his career with 241 receptions, 2,659 yards and 30 touchdowns. The Cincinnati Bengals drafted him in the third round of the 2009 draft. He would play seven seasons in the NFL. Chase lives in Raymore with his wife and family.