LEAVENWORTH, Kan. — A Farley resident was one of six coaches inducted into the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame during the Missouri vs. Kansas All-Star Game on Thursday, June 14 in Leavenworth, Kan.
Gary O’Neal, who coached at Hardin-Central High School, was part of the fourth induction class of the hall. He learned of his induction earlier this year and joined a class with fellow coaches Laurel Hobick, Kyle Roach, Keith Ross, Troy Hodges and Glenn Percy.
CODY THORN/Citizen photo
Gary O’Neal, a Farley resident, was inducted into the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame for his work as Hardin-Central’s head coach.
Also joining the Hall of Fame was former NFL player Don Davis and the Simone Family, which awards the Simone Memorial Football Award each fall since 1983. The death of their son, Tommy in 1983, led to the family to honor their son. The family has raised thousands of dollars for area charities through its Simone-Fontana Foundation.
This is the third Hall of Fame induction for O’Neal, following the Missouri Football Coaches Association (1996) and Missouri Sports Hall of Fame (2008).
“I’m proud they selected me, it is an honor,” said O’Neal, a Marshall native who graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1974.
He spent his entire coaching career at Hardin-Central, starting in 1974. He took over as the football coach in 1976 and held the role through the 2003 season.
He went 239-52-1 overall and ranked eighth all-time in the state when he retired and his winning percentage of .820 was third all-time with at least 150 wins.
He guided Hardin-Central to 10 undefeated seasons, 17 Central Rivers Conference titles, 14 district titles, two state championships and two runner-up finishes.
For a number of years his squads were among the smallest in Class 1 but still found ways to be competitive. His 1999 team had only 12 players, but the team went 11-1 and reached the state quarterfinals.
“It was kind of a matter of pride,” he said. “For me and our kids to be able to beat schools two or three times our enrollment. They might have 40 kids and we might have 20 and everyone played both ways.
“I was very fortunate to have great kids. They were willing to work hard and paid attention and they behaved themselves. Every kid I coached, it’s not just the winning, but it is doing things the right way so you have a chance to be successful. The kids deserve all the credit. I haven’t blocked or tackled anyone in a long time.”
O’Neal and his wife Kathy, who spent nearly 44 years teaching at Wellington-Napoleon, have two children. Daughter, Kelly Coddington and husband Brad live in Grain Valley, while their son Jeff and his wife Carmen live in Farley.
His son and daughter-in-law were looking for a smaller school for their children to attend and moved from Olathe, Kan., to Farley to attend the West Platte School District.
“They bought 20 acres and built a house and convinced us to move. We have 18 acres that adjoins theirs. We were happily retired but we are even happier now.”