The Kansas Shrine Bowl Board of Directors is excited to announce the selection of Hesston’s Tyson Bauerle and Topeka High’s Walt Alexander to be the Head Coaches for the 2019 Kansas Shrine Bowl, to be held Saturday, June 8th in Dodge City. Bauerle will lead the West and Alexander the East.
A 1980 graduate of Beloit High School, Alexander is entering his 29th year as a head football coach. While at Beloit, Walt was part of three football state championships for the Trojans. A graduate of Kansas State University, Alexander player two years for the Wildcats and served one year as a student assistant before beginning his coaching career. In 2006, Alexander took over as the Head Coach at Topeka High, building them into a consistent program in 6A. The Trojans are currently 3-1 and ranked in the top 5. This will be his 4th time coaching in the Kansas Shrine Bowl, first as the head coach. After previous stints as a Shrine Bowl assistant, Alexander decided to become a Shriner and is a member of the Arab Shrine Center based in Topeka.
“I am extremely honored and blessed to be selected as Head Coach for the East Team, nothing I have done in my coaching career is more important and meaningful, said Alexander” “The passion and heart that goes into this event each year to help raise money for the kids and Shriners Hospitals for Children is truly amazing and what inspired me to become a member of the Shrine.”
A Nickerson, Kansas native, Tyson Bauerle is a 2003 graduate of Nickerson High School, where he was a three sport athlete. As a baseball player at his alma mater, Tabor College, Bauerle earned NAIA Academic All-American honors and 2nd Team All KCAC Utility Infielder in 2007. From Tabor, Bauerle began his coaching career at Sterling High School, serving as the strength coach and head softball coach. He joined the football program as an assistant in 2013 and was elevated to head coach in 2015. Bauerle helped the Black Beas snap a ten-game losing streak and compiled a 10-10 record. In 2017, Bauerle was named the head football coach at Hesston High School. In his first season, Bauerle led the Swathers to an 8-4 record and Regional Championship.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to lead the West team in the Shrine Bowl this June,” Said Bauerle. “To have the chance to coach some of the best players in the state in such a meaningful game, on and off the field, is something I look forward to. Being able to experience the meaning behind the game last summer certainly had an impact.”