Griffin inducted into GKCFCA Hall of Fame

By Andy Brown
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Updated: June 19, 2025

***Former Louisburg head football coach Gary Griffin was inducted in the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame on June 6 at Liberty High School.***

When it comes to Louisburg football, it is hard not to describe the Wildcat program without uttering the name Gary Griffin.

After serving as an assistant and head coach for more than 30 years, Griffin was recognized for his year’s of service by the Kansas City area football coaches.

Griffin was inducted in the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame at halftime of the annual all-star game on June 6 at Liberty High School.

“I was a little shocked when I was told that I got in,” Griffin said. “I honestly didn’t consider myself of that caliber. It is pretty cool because it is your peers that recognize you so it is a great honor.

“I was honestly in a pretty lucky situation in Louisburg. When I became the head coach, we already had a pretty good program. My coaching staff and I just tried to elevate it from there. We had a great bunch of coaches and a string of talented players.”

Griffin has played a big role in the Louisburg program, but none bigger than in 2010 when he led the Wildcats to their only state championship. It was an undefeated season that was capped off by a win over Holton in the state title game.

He guided the Wildcats to the state championship game in 2007 and earned a runner-up finish. Griffin was also an assistant coach on the 1997 team that was a state runner-up.

Griffin finished his head coaching career with a 113-44 record and would later help Drexel High School to an 8-man championship in 2021 as an assistant.

He is currently an assistant coach for the Wildcat program, where he works alongside many of his former players, including current head coach Drew Harding.

***Louisburg head football coach Gary Griffin hoists the state championship trophy following the Wildcats’ win over Holton in the state championship in 2010.***

“I am starting to get to a point where I am reflecting more,” Griffin said. “Being able to help out Drew has been a great and then seeing all the alumni coaches on the staff is pretty cool. I listen to them talk and about all the good times they had and the lessons they learned.

“When you are a coach, you just take it day by day and you are just doing your job. You don’t really think about the impact you are having on the lives of these kids. Then after you are away from it for a while, you see how much it meant to them and then you think to yourself, ‘Maybe I did make a difference.’”

A special part for Griffin was that his family could be in attendance to share in his special day, which included his wife Lori, his children Gentry and Garrett, along with his grandchildren.

“It was great they could all be there,” Griffin said. “My family was a big part of everything we accomplished. Lori was the perfect coach’s wife as there is a lot that comes with that. When Gentry was growing up, she understood when I had to miss some of her stuff and was so supportive of everything I did.

“Then at the same time to be able to coach my son (Garrett) and have him there the whole time and grow up in the program was pretty cool as well. I definitely couldn’t have done this without my family.”

Griffin wasn’t the only coach to be inducted on that night. He was a part of an 8-coach hall of fame class that also included former Paola coach Mike Dumpert.

Dumpert and Griffin squared off on the gridiron several times throughout their careers during the Louisburg and Paola rivalry games.

“I have always respected Paola’s program,” Griffin said. “They were the one team every year that no matter how good or bad we were, it was going to be a battle. Always had a ton of respect for Dumpert. He did it like I did where he was an assistant coach for a long time and then became a head coach.