WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – A longtime Andover Central football coach is being honored Sunday night for the program he built from the ground up. Tom Audley is inducted into the Kansas Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame.A bittersweet celebration, Coach Audley’s brother accepted the award on his behalf because Coach Audley has dementia. KSN talked with family and players who benefited from his impact. The first coach for Andover Central, Tom Audley, has made a lasting impression on Andover Central’s football program.His brother and all those who have worked with him closely tell KSN that the coaching style he is most known for is his honesty.“He always told ’em the truth and didn’t try to sugarcoat anything, he just told it how it was,” said Tom’s brother, Patrick.At the Kansas Star Casino Sunday night, coaches, families, and former players gathered to celebrate the best in Kansas high school football.Among them, a name that helped shape andover central from its very first season.“My father would be very proud of this accomplishment because Tom was always a big football player and Track star and did well,” said Patrick. Coach Audley spent 17 years leading the Jaguars, taking the helm when the school opened in 2002…and building one of the area’s most respected programs.A former player, Jake Taylor, has known Audley his entire life.“In big rivalry games, big games where two tough teams are going at it, he always talked about playing for the love of your teammates instead of the hate of the other team, and that’s just who he was, though as a person,” said Taylor.The hall of fame honors not just wins, but leadership, character, and the culture Audley created.“he made everybody feel welcome, you know, different backgrounds, didn’t make any difference to him,” said asst. Coach under Tom Audley, Dean Taylor.Other 2025 inductees include Ron Bowen, John Gifford, Bruce Graber, Gene John, Jim Lee, Gennaro Mirocke, Tom Stringer, Al Woolard. Audley led the Jaguars from their inception in 2002 until 2019.Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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