The Kansas Shrine Bowl Board of Directors is happy to announce the assistant coaches for the 51st Kansas Shrine Bowl presented by Mammoth. The assistant coaches are chosen based on the success of their season, as well as eligibility limitations and coach availability. The East assistant coaching staff features five coaches with Shrine Bowl experience, while the West assistant coaching staff will all be making their first coaching appearance in the Kansas Shrine Bowl.  The 2024 Head Coaches, announced earlier this year, are Wamego’s Weston Moody for the East and McPherson’s Jace Pavlovich for the West.  The 51st Kansas Shrine Bowl presented by Mammoth will be played at Welch Stadium, on the campus of Emporia State University, on Saturday, June 29th, 2024, at 7 p.m.

The assistant coaches for the East team are Steve Buhler (6A - Washburn Rural), Jason Swift (5A - Shawnee Heights), Preston Troyer (4A - Tonganoxie), Mark Smith (3A - Frontenac), Garrett Michael (2A - Sabetha), and Shawn Seematter (1A - St. Mary’s Colgan).  The East coaching staff had a combined record of 67-15 in 2023, with five of the seven coaches leading their programs to the State Semifinals. The East staff boasts plenty of experience with both Steve Buhler (2012, 2020) and Jason Swift (2013) having both been Head Coaches in the Shrine Bowl previously.  Mark Smith, Garrett Michael and Shawn Seematter were all on the 2018 Kansas Shrine Bowl East staff that helped lead the East team to their most recent victory over the West, a 21-14 victory in Pittsburg. Smith was also part of a Shrine Bowl victory for the East team in 2004 as a player, the only former player on the 2024 East coaching staff.

Assistant coaches for the West team are Dominick Dingle (6A - Wichita Heights), Darrin Fisher (5A - Eisenhower), Jeremiah Meeks (4A - Wellington), Trey Teeter (3A - Holcomb), Mitch Gebhardt (2A - Southeast of Saline), and Nicolas Schmidt (1A - Medicine Lodge). The West Coaching staff had a combined 56-20 record in 2023, with 1A Assistant Nicolas Schmidt making the deepest postseason run with a semifinal appearance at Medicine Lodge. Outside of Head Coach Jace Pavlovich, the West staff will all be coaching in the Kansas Shrine Bowl for the first time. Only Trey Teeter, Holcomb, has previous Kansas Shrine Bowl experience as a player on the 2016 West team.

“We’re excited to have this group of coaches on board for the 2024 Kansas Shrine Bowl,” said Brice Kesler of the Kansas Shrine Bowl. “They give up valuable family time and time with their own programs to be a part of this great tradition. This is a group of men and leaders who truly understand our cause and the purpose of this event. We’re thrilled to have their knowledge and leadership for our respective teams this year.”

The annual Kansas Shrine Bowl Player Selection Show is set to air on Monday, January 1st, 2024 at 10 a.m. The show can be watched live at www.KansasShrineBowl.com or www.Youtube.com/KansasShrineBowl.

For more information, please visit www.KansasShrineBowl.com or call the Kansas Shrine Bowl office at 913-602-8656.

All Kansas Shrine Bowl events are produced and presented to benefit Shriners Children’s. In 2023, the Kansas Shrine Bowl donated $100,000 to Shriners Children’s and has given more than $3.8M since 1974. Shriners Children’s offers care for a range of orthopedic issues, as well as care for burn injuries, craniofacial conditions, spine care and spinal cord injuries, colorectal and gastrointestinal care, and sports medicine. Children up to the age of 18 are eligible for care and receive all services in a family-centered environment, regardless of the patients' ability to pay.

The Kansas Shrine Bowl is an all-star high school senior, East vs. West, football game put on each year in Kansas, by the Kansas Shrine. It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity that produces annual events and related activities, with net proceeds benefiting Shriners Hospitals for Children, now known as Shriners Children’s. The Kansas Shrine Bowl has donated over $3.8M to Shriners Children’s.

The game has been played throughout Kansas each summer since 1974. Host cities have included Lawrence, Manhattan, Wichita, Topeka, Hays, Emporia, Pittsburg, Dodge City and Hutchinson.  The West football team camp will be held at Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas, and the East team camp will be held at Ottawa University in Ottawa, Kansas. The East Camp Directors are Jack Call and Jim Whitehead. The West Camp Directors are Richard Steele and Greg King.  

Beginning in 1974, the flagship event has been the East/West All-Star Football Game. As of 2023, the West leads the series with 31 wins, the East has 17 wins, and there have been two ties. Notable NFL alumni include Hall of Famer Barry Sanders, All-Pro Wide Receiver Jordy Nelson, All-Pro NFL Defensive Back Terrance Newman, former Kansas State and Kansas City Chiefs Linebacker Gary Spani, former Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and Super Bowl Champion Linebacker Mark Simoneau, current NFL player Cody Whitehair, and many others.

The Kansas Shrine Bowl week also includes the Kansas Masonic All-State Marching Band Camp, Kansas Shrine Bowl Cheer Camp, Friday Night Event, Pep Rally, Parade, Golf Tournament and more. Learn more about other events during the week of the Kansas Shrine Bowl at www.KansasShrineBowl.com/events.

2024 Kansas Shrine Bowl East Coaching Staff

Head Coach: Weston Moody
High School: Wamego
2023 Record: 9-3
Overall Head Coach Record: 47-18
Kansas Shrine Bowl Experience: Assistant (2023)
High School Played For: Salina South
Undergraduate: Fort Hays State
Graduate: Fort Hays State

6A Assistant Coach: Steve Buhler
High School: Washburn Rural
2023 Record: 11-1
Overall Head Coach Record: 184-97 (Washburn Rural, Rossville)
Kansas Shrine Bowl Experience: Head Coach (2020, 2012); Assistant (2001, 2006, 2011, 2019)
High School Played For: Regis Jesuit (Denver, CO)
Undergraduate: Benedictine
Graduate: Fort Hays State

5A Assistant Coach: Jason Swift
High School: Shawnee Heights
2023 Record: 8-3
Overall Head Coach Record: 101-111
Kansas Shrine Bowl Experience: Head Coach (2013); Assistant (2012, 2020)
High School Played For: Blue Valley
Undergraduate: Emporia State
Graduate: Baker

4A Assistant Coach: Preston Troyer
High School: Tonganoxie
2023 Record: 9-3
Overall Head Coach Record: 13-7
Kansas Shrine Bowl Experience: none
High School Played For: Lake Highlands (Dallas, TX)
Undergraduate: Kansas
Graduate: Fort Hays State

3A Assistant Coach: Mark Smith
High School: Frontenac
2023 Record: 9-2
Overall Head Coach Record: 94-38
Kansas Shrine Bowl Experience: Assistant (2018), East Player (2004)
High School Played For: St. Mary’s Colgan
Undergraduate: Pittsburg State
Graduate: Pittsburg State

2A Assistant Coach: Garrett Michael
High School: Sabetha
2023 Record: 10-2
Overall Head Coach Record: 104-59
Kansas Shrine Bowl Experience: Assistant (2018)
High School Played For: Silver Lake
Undergraduate: Kansas State
Graduate: Baker

1A Assistant Coach: Shawn Seematter
High School: St. Mary’s Colgan
2023 Record: 11-1
Overall Head Coach Record: 57-21
Kansas Shrine Bowl Experience: Assistant (2018)
High School Played For: Royal Valley
Undergraduate: Kansas State
Graduate: Fort Hays State

2024 Kansas Shrine Bowl West Coaching Staff

Head Coach: Jace Pavlovich
High School: McPherson
2023 Record: 7-4
Overall Head Coach Record: 79-22
Kansas Shrine Bowl Experience: Assistant (2023)
High School Played For: Onaga & Canton-Galva
Undergraduate: Fort Hays State
Graduate: Fort Hays State

6A Assistant Coach: Dominick Dingle
High School: Wichita Heights
2023 Record: 5-4
Overall Head Coach Record: 26-7
Kansas Shrine Bowl Experience: none
High School Played For: Leavenworth
Undergraduate: Appalachian State
Graduate: Pittsburg State

5A Assistant Coach: Darrin Fisher
High School: Eisenhower
2023 Record: 10-2
Overall Head Coach Record: 29-39 (Eisenhower, Canton-Galva)
Kansas Shrine Bowl Experience: none
High School Played For: Englewood, CO
Undergraduate:
Graduate:

4A Assistant Coach: Jeremiah Meeks
High School: Wellington
2023 Record: 8-3
Overall Head Coach Record: 34-37 (Wellington, Moundridge, Pawnee Heights)
Kansas Shrine Bowl Experience: none
High School Played For: Hanston
Undergraduate: Fort Hays State
Graduate: Emporia State

3A Assistant Coach: Trey Teeter
High School: Holcomb
2023 Record: 7-3
Overall Head Coach Record: 7-3
Kansas Shrine Bowl Experience: West Player (2016)
High School Played For: Goodland & Holcomb
Undergraduate: Fort Hays State
Graduate: Emporia State

2A Assistant Coach: Mitch Gebhardt
High School: Southeast of Saline
2023 Record: 10-1
Overall Head Coach Record: 131-74 (Southeast of Saline, Lincoln)
Kansas Shrine Bowl Experience: none
High School Played For: Ellsworth
Undergraduate: Fort Hays State
Graduate: Fort Hays State

1A Assistant Coach: Nicolas Schmidt
High School: Medicine Lodge
2023 Record: 9-3
Overall Head Coach Record: 12-9
Kansas Shrine Bowl Experience: none
High School Played For: TMP-Marian
Undergraduate: Fort Hays State
Graduate: Fort Hays State