St. Joseph Central Football
Connecting the past, Present, and future of indian football
Coaches of the Past
PAST HEAD COACHES 1893-PRESENT
Andy Ball was Head Coach for Central for only one year. Coach Ball had a focus of building relationships and brought new insight and technology to the weight room and the football field. Coach Ball led Central to a monumental homecoming victory in overtime as well as a playoff win vs. Oak Park.
ANDY BALL 2017
Phil Pitts was also Head Coach for Central for only one year. However, Coach Pitts did a lot in his short tenure. Coach Pitts put a great deal of time and effort into leading the program in the right direction. He started a middle school lifting program which allowed hundreds of middle schoolers the opportunity to learn how to lift. He also helped promote the Central program to where it is today.
PHIL PITTS 2016
Jeff Wallace was Head Coach for the Central Indians for 6 years. Coach Wallace had a huge role in bringing much needed new facilities to the Central family which have benefited all athletes and students at Central. Coach Wallace lead the Indians to three consecutive winning seasons and did so while sticking to his values of faith and family. Coach Wallace was a great mentor and man who represented the Central Indians well.
JEFF WALLACE 2010-2015
Tony Dudik is the winningest Head Football Coach in Central history with well over 100 victories. Along with coaching, Dudik was also a teacher at Central High School for 30 years. According to Coach Dudik, one of his greatest experiences was leading Central to a 9 win season in 1995, which resulted in a deep playoff run. He has influenced thousands of young men over his tenure at Central and continues to coach the game of football in St. Joseph. Coach Tony Dudik will go down in history as both a Hall of Fame Coach and a great mentor to young people.
TONY DUDIK 1987-2009
Coach Harv Welch was a Hall of Fame coach who did an exceptional job during his short career at Central High. During his tenure as coach, Welch amassed two nine win seasons in a row, one of which lead to the Missouri State Playoffs in 1985. Though he was only coach for a short time, he will always be remembered as a coach who ran a tight ship but enjoyed leading successful teams.
HARV WELCH 1983-1986
Coach Jim Anderson was a well respected coach who brought great coaching qualities to Central. Coach Anderson went on to coach other successful programs but left his mark at Central during the short time that he was here.
JIM ANDERSON 1981-1982
Coach Danny Brown is another Hall of Fame coach from Central High School. Danny Brown took over Central football at a low point in the team's history and restored them to their former success. Though Coach Brown would be more remembered by his coaching and state championships in other programs, he did great things for Central football during his tenure here.
DANNY BROWN 1976-1978
Coach H.T. Muir was a very successful coach here at Central in the 60s as an assistant, and the early to mid 70s as the Head Coach. Coach Muir will most be remebered for leading the Indians to an undefeated season in 1971. This team featured many great players from Central's past.
H.T. MUIR 1969-1975
Coach Jim Blacklock was a well respected coach here at Central throughout the 1960s. The 1960s were some of the most successful years for Indian football. This was due in part becasue of Coach Blacklock's superb coaching and overseeing of the team.
JIM BLACKLOCK 1966-1968
ROGER GRUNWALD 1960-64
79-80
Coach Roger Grunwald was a man whom had been around Central High School his entire life. In the early 1940s, young Roger Grunwald starred as the Quarterback for the Indians. After years of assistant coaching, Coach Grunwald became the Head Coach in 1960. During his first few years as Head Coach, Grunwald had much success and lead his team to winning seasons each year. After taking a few years off, Coach Grunwald again picked up the whistle in 1979 and lead Central back to success. When it was all said and done, Coach Grunwald had given 5 decades of his time and talent to Central High School. Coach Roger Grunwald will go down in history as a great man, teacher, and coach.
JOHN GIBSON 1949-1959
Coach John Gibson is a man to be remembered. Starting out as an assistant football coach in the 1940s, Coach Gibson learned the ins and outs of coaching a successful football team. In 1949, Coach Gibson took over as head coach and never looked back. Over the next 10 seasons, Coach Gibson would amass nine city championships, two conference titles, and nine winning seasons. During the 1960s, while Coach Gibson acted as the school's Athletic Director, Central football was at the top again. Coach Gibson ended his career with Central as the most successful coach in school history and as an all around great man. The Central football program still gives the John Gibson award each year to the football player who shows the highest level of greatness and respectability.
Coach "Red" Wade was a fantastic coach who also played Division I football. He brought his great knowledge of the game and shared it with the student athletes of Central High School. He will be most remebered for leading the Indians to a conference championship in 1948 before stepping down as Head Coach.
"RED" WADE 1945-1948
Coach Fritz Cronkite, uncle of the famous Walter Cronkite, was Head Coach of the Indians for four seasons. During his short time, he used his leadership ability to gather his players together and keep his team a success during a trying time in our nation's History. Though he lost both players and assistant coaches to the battle fronts of WWII, Fritz Cronkite continued the winning legacy here at Central High. Coach Cronkite was also a Central Alumni and was the Football Team Captain in the 1920s. Coach Cronkite will be remebered as both a great leader and a great motivator.
FRITZ CRONKITE 1941-1944
Coach Arnold Embree earned a record of 24-9-2 over just four years as Central's Head Coach. Bringing a youthful aspect to the program, Coach Embree captured the attention of his football players and he pushed them to be their best.
ARNOLD EMBREE 1937-1940
Coach Edgar Ellis was very successful during his short time At Central High School. He was the first coach in school history to reach the eight win mark. Ellis also lead Central to the City Championship in 1936. He is remembered as a successful coach of Central's past.
EDGAR ELLIS 1935-1936
Coach Price Hopkins was only coach for one year at Central High. He did, however, only lose one game while winning four and tieing three. He also improved Central's record from the previous year.
PRICE HOPKINS 1934
Coach Jack Matthews coached Central during one of the most trying times of our nation. He led the Indians through the height of the Great Depression and even led Central to a 7-1 season in 1929.
JACK MATTHEWS 1929-1933
Coach Sam Utz took over a strong 1920s Central program in 1926, only to be at the helm for three years. During his three years as head coach, Utz led the indians to the City Championship each year and also earned seven wins in 1927. Coach Utz utilized a powerful run game which helped to amass three straight winning seasons.
SAM UTZ 1926-1928
Coach Anton Stanowski was a very youthful and energetic coach for the time period. Coach Stankowski was Head Coach for the Central Indians for five years. During his five years he compiled three winning seasons and four City Championships.
ANTON STANKOWSKI 1921-25
Coach Henry was only coach at Central High School for the 1920 season. Though he left Central after a short time, he is appreciated for his contribution to Central High.
COACH HENRY 1920
Coach Julious Uhrlaub was coach at Central High School only during the 1919 season.
JULIOUS UHRLAUB 1919
Coach Palfreyman was coach at Central High School only during the 1918 season.
GEORGE PALFREYMAN 1918
Coach Dittemore was coach at Central High School only during the 1917 season.
JAMES DITTEMORE 1917
Coach Moyer was coach at Central for five seasons. During his time as coach, Moyer had an overall winning record. During his most successful season in 1915, he lead Central to a record of 7-1-1.
COACH MOYER 1912-1916
Coach Frank Cassidy was coach at Central High School only during the 1911 season.
FRANK P. CASSIDY 1911
Coach Hixson was coach at Central High School for three years from 1908 to the 1910 season. Coach Hixson had a winning record in his three seasons as coach.
A.H. HIXSON 1908-1910
Coach Bently was Head Coach for Central High School for four seasons. Coach Bently lead Central to a seven win season in 1905. Though Bently was coach at Central well over 100 years ago, his legacy lives on as the first Coach to be truly successful in the Northwest Missouri Area.
Coach Bently 1904-1907
Coach Jordan was Head Coach for Central High School through the 1890s and the early 1900s. Coach Jordan was a major innovator of Football in northwest Missouri.