Recently, De Soto High School head football coach Brian King was sent to the National Football League Pro Bowl game in Orlando on Jan. 28 after raking in several awards for the team’s successful season.

Once the DHS football team’s season was over, the awards came rushing in for King. With a 10-2 record as well as the first visit to Sub-State since 1989, there was a lot of hard work to be recognized. The team’s only losses occurred going up against  State champion Bishop Miege.

Not only was King named the Kansas City Chiefs Coach of the Week during the regular season, but he was later recognized as the Chief’s Coach of the Year.

“Every week during the season, they do a Chief’s Coach of the Week,” King said. “Then, at the end of the year they take all of the Coach of the Week winners from over the nine or 10 weeks time frame and vote for a Coach of the Year, and all coaches that were nominated vote on the other coaches.”

According to junior football player Brandon Taylor, the awards were well deserved.

“I think he got Coach of the Year because he is the type of coach to get close to us as players so we can perform to the best to our ability,” Taylor said. “The best thing about Coach King’s coaching style is that he is serious when needed, but can also be very fun and energetic.”

After winning coach of the year, he was also nominated for an NFL national coach of the year award, which punched his ticket to the NFL Pro Bowl game.

“Once you win that [Chief’s Coach of the Year], you’re nominated for a Don Shula National Coach of the Year,” King said, “That’s why I was sent out there to the Pro Bowl, and it was a phenomenal experience.”

King got to experience many different things once at the Pro Bowl Game in Orlando.

“We were down there [on the field] during pre-game, and they sent us to the USA football conference,” King said. “I got to listen to [Florida] Sen. [Marco] Rubio and Mike Singletary, Chris Carter, as well as some other NFL Hall of Fame people speak. It was an awesome experience.”