When it comes to the Kansas Shine Bowl, it’s a winning (or losing, depending on your point of view) streak of historic proportions.
West squads have won the last four games, dating back to 2006. The last East win was in 2005, a 17-10 victory by the East in a game played at KSU Stadium in Manhattan.
That’s a long time in football years. Consider this: the last time the East team won, it was led by quarterback Kerry Meier of Pittsburg, who went on to a stellar career as a wide receiver at the University of Kansas, and is now a rookie wide receiver with the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. The West leads the overall series 22-13, with one tie.
All of this is not lost on East Head Coach Bill Arnold of Hayden, as he and his East coaches lay the foundation for training camp which begins on July 22nd at Emporia State University. He makes it clear that the goal of the East squad will be to put the brakes on the West’s streak in 2010.
“Nobody gets into this business to lose games,” Arnold said. “We’re obviously here for a bigger cause than to get a win, but at the same time, I don’t care if I’m playing pitch with my kids at home or playing ‘horse’ in the back yard, I’m going out to win. You don’t want to lay an egg out there. You want to put a good product on the field that’s competitive in every phase of the game.”
Arnold is one of few Kansas football coaches who have experienced the Kansas Shrine Bowl from both sides of the field. In 2002, he was coaching in Scott City, and was named an assistant coach for the West squad, a team that won 27-13 in Pittsburg. He served as an assistant coach for the East last year, this time on the losing end of a 14-7 game.
What has he taken from his two previous Shrine Bowl experiences that he’ll apply to the 2010 game?
“I really liked the way coach Hibbs (Lynn Hibbs, Wellington) turned camp into a family atmosphere”, he said. “You’re only with these boys for about 10 days, but when we took the field in Pittsburg, we were in it together, and we’ll definitely take that approach when we get into camp in July.”
Arnold will begin his fourth year as the head coach at Hayden this fall. His previous three teams have gone 34-7, including a 4A State Championship in 2008, and a runner-up trophy in 2009.
In the Shrine Bowl, Arnold will be matched against West head coach Randall Zimmerman of Junction City, who also won a state title in 2008. Three of Hayden’s seven losses under Arnold have come at the hands of the 6A powerhouse Bluejays, and he’s looking for a change in the Shrine Bowl.
“I’m hoping the fortunes will turn a little bit, because I haven’t had much success against him”, he said.
Rivalry aside, Arnold has a great deal of respect for Zimmerman and the Junction City program, calling Zimmerman “a class act.”
“He’s done a fantastic job,” he said. “His kids are well-coached, and they play hard.”
Arnold will have plenty of experienced help at training camp and on the sidelines. Each year, the Shrine Bowl selects one coach from each of the state’s five football classes to serve as assistant coaches. The head coach for the following year is selected from the assistants. This year’s assistant coaches include Mike Zegunis, Blue Valley Northwest (6A); Mike Thomas, St. Thomas Aquinas (5A); Don Grundy, Columbus (4A); Beau Sarwinski, Galena (3A); and Larry Glatczak, Centralia (2A-1A). All of the coaches led their respective teams to playoff berths in 2009.
The Kansas Shrine Bowl All-Star Football Game is an annual event featuring two football teams composed of 68 of the best graduated high school players from the East and West. Kickoff for this year’s game at Carnie Smith Stadium in Pittsburg is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Saturday, July 31. Proceeds from all Shrine Bowl events support the Shriners Hospitals for Children, a network of 22 hospitals that provide expert, no-cost orthopedic, burn, and spinal care to children under 18. Children are admitted free to Shriners Hospitals for Children without regard for race, religion, nationality, creed, or relationship to a Shriner.
Advance reserved chair back tickets for the game are $20.00. Adult general admission tickets are $12.00 in advance. Student tickets (K-12) are $6.00 in advance. Game day tickets, if available, are $1 more at the gate.
