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The History of Kansas Wesleyan Football
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Zack Humprey

 By: Brandon Lacy        

             Kansas Wesleyan University has been around for many years. Kansas Wesleyan has had a football team for about 113 year as of this season. They had some up and down years.  There have been a lot of good football players that have come through Kansas Wesleyan.

            The person that I chose to interview was my Head Coach Dave Dallas. He gave me some good information on his history here at Kansas Wesleyan. Coach Dallas has been coaching here for the last ten years. When I asked him how he likes it here he said, “that I likes it a lot here”. He has coached a lot of great players over the years. Some of the greatest player that Coach Dallas has coached was Les Wright an All- American defensive of lineman, and current running back Darell Grimes who last year rushed for 1628 yards. Coach Dallas is hands on coach who likes to get involved with the players and keep them happy.   

            According to Saturday Myrmidons the history of Kansas Wesleyan Football by Ron Smith, the  records show that Kansas Wesleyan Football team has been around since 1893. The very first team Wesleyan ever played was Abilene High School, and they won.  The first two collegiate teams Kansas Wesleyan ever played were Bethany College and Baker University. They played the game with no stats. Normally the stats show how many first downs, turnovers, and total yardage a team has produced during the game. Neither, were they able to show personal stats such as yards rushing and receiving. The only thing that they kept during the game was the score. Kansas Wesleyan lost that game 44-0. After that the Teacher and Professors talked the football program down. So much that they stopped having a football program for about five years. At this time that is when baseball took over and got really strong.

            The Kansas Wesleyan University football web site, said that the football program started back up very strongly in 1903. It was also the first real team that Wesleyan ever had. The team was coached by A.B. Cowden he was also the starting full back for Wesleyan. He was the coach for about two years. The only thing was when Wesleyan started losing the administration wanted to banish the sport of football from the campus. Since, then Wesleyan has been had many great coaches. One of the greatest coaches that Wesleyan has had was Coach Franklin Gene Bissell. Who started in coaching in 1952. Coach Bissell was the most winnings coach in Wesleyan’s history. He coached at Wesleyan for about 26 years. He had 116 wins, and he had the third best winning percentage of all time. Since then the best coach that has coached here is Coach Dave Dallas. He came to Kansas Wesleyan in 1997. Coach Dallas has leaded Kansas Wesleyan two NAIA Championship in 2001 and again in 2002. We are hoping to win again in 2006.

            Kansas Wesleyan has been in two different Conferences the KICA and the KCAC. In 1915 Kansas Wesleyan joined the KICA which stood for (Kansas Intercollegiate Athletic Association). It was all Kansas Colleges except for Kansas State and Kansas University. On December 1, 1928 Wesleyan then joined the KCAC which stood for (Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference). They were in the Conference with Ottawa, Baker, Bethany, McPherson, and St. Mary’s college. It was the Conference for all the small College in the state of Kansas. It was only a five game conference race. Kansas Wesleyan has a rich and long history in football. I have learned a lot from this r

Kansas Wesleyan University has been around for many years. Kansas Wesleyan has had a football team for about 113 year as of this season. They had some up and down years.  There have been a lot of good football players that have come through Kansas Wesleyan.

            The person that I chose to interview was my Head Coach Dave Dallas. He gave me some good information on his history here at Kansas Wesleyan. Coach Dallas has been coaching here for the last ten years. When I asked him how he likes it here he said, “that I likes it a lot here”. He has coached a lot of great players over the years. Some of the greatest player that Coach Dallas has coached was Les Wright an All- American defensive of lineman, and current running back Darell Grimes who last year rushed for 1628 yards. Coach Dallas is hands on coach who likes to get involved with the players and keep them happy.   

            According to Saturday Myrmidons the history of Kansas Wesleyan Football by Ron Smith, the  records show that Kansas Wesleyan Football team has been around since 1893. The very first team Wesleyan ever played was Abilene High School, and they won.  The first two collegiate teams Kansas Wesleyan ever played were Bethany College and Baker University. They played the game with no stats. Normally the stats show how many first downs, turnovers, and total yardage a team has produced during the game. Neither, were they able to show personal stats such as yards rushing and receiving. The only thing that they kept during the game was the score. Kansas Wesleyan lost that game 44-0. After that the Teacher and Professors talked the football program down. So much that they stopped having a football program for about five years. At this time that is when baseball took over and got really strong.

            The Kansas Wesleyan University football web site, said that the football program started back up very strongly in 1903. It was also the first real team that Wesleyan ever had. The team was coached by A.B. Cowden he was also the starting full back for Wesleyan. He was the coach for about two years. The only thing was when Wesleyan started losing the administration wanted to banish the sport of football from the campus. Since, then Wesleyan has been had many great coaches. One of the greatest coaches that Wesleyan has had was Coach Franklin Gene Bissell. Who started in coaching in 1952. Coach Bissell was the most winnings coach in Wesleyan’s history. He coached at Wesleyan for about 26 years. He had 116 wins, and he had the third best winning percentage of all time. Since then the best coach that has coached here is Coach Dave Dallas. He came to Kansas Wesleyan in 1997. Coach Dallas has leaded Kansas Wesleyan two NAIA Championship in 2001 and again in 2002. We are hoping to win again in 2006.

            Kansas Wesleyan has been in two different Conferences the KICA and the KCAC. In 1915 Kansas Wesleyan joined the KICA which stood for (Kansas Intercollegiate Athletic Association). It was all Kansas Colleges except for Kansas State and Kansas University. On December 1, 1928 Wesleyan then joined the KCAC which stood for (Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference). They were in the Conference with Ottawa, Baker, Bethany, McPherson, and St. Mary’s college. It was the Conference for all the small College in the state of Kansas. It was only a five game conference race.

            Kansas Wesleyan has a rich and long history in football. I have learned a lot from this research like all the different coach’s and how everyone did not like the football team. Kansas Wesleyan has a good football program, and a very bright future. Some people did not like the football team. Kansas Wesleyan has a good football program, and a very bright future.