Football

Coaching Staff

Varsity Head Coach Bio

Sam Knopik is in his 22nd season as head football coach at PHS, where he also serves as a world history teacher. Over the course of his career, Sam has compiled an impressive record, including three undefeated regular seasons and six playoff appearances. This past year, he led his team to a Crossroads Conference title, a district championship, and a trip to the Class 2 State Quarterfinals. A highly respected figure in the coaching community, Sam was inducted into both the Missouri Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame and the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Originally from Omaha, Nebraska, Sam earned his undergraduate degree from William Jewell College in 1996 and his master’s degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1997. He also spent the 1998-99 school year teaching fourth grade at the Kyiv International School in Ukraine, where he coached teams that competed in tournaments in Prague and Cairo.

"X's and O's will come and go. Strategy and schemes are part of the game but the uniqueness of high school team sports, of which I believe football has the greatest opportunity to impact a young man's life, are the lessons we can teach. Of the lessons we teach, relationship building and a concern for others will always remain the most important."

- Sam Knopik
Head Coach