Missouri high school football playoff game honors coach who died
By Betsy Webster
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OLATHE, Kansas (KCTV) — A football coach at Olathe North got a special tribute Friday night, at the playoff game against Olathe Northwest, one day after he died.
The game between rivals Olathe North and Northwest began with a moment of silence. North’s players wore the initials JD on their helmets for their assistant coach, Josh Dirks.
“I wanted my kids here tonight because I want them to stand and look at the people that support them and support their daddy,” said his wife, Tiffany Dirks, at the sideline shortly before kickoff.
Tiffany Dirks said her husband was passionate about coaching and football, but their four children always came first.
“I’ll miss his hugs. I’ll miss his smile. I’ll miss his silliness,” she said. “I’ll miss the way he leaves notes in my car and in my wallet.”
She found one two weeks ago. She doesn’t know when he left it. I told her to be strong.
She said he went to the hospital six weeks ago with a cough, ended up on a ventilator, and died last night from pneumonia with medical complications.
“Our goal for the five of us is the make daddy proud,” she said, her arms wrapped around her children. “So everything we do from now on is in Josh’s honor.”
The family has a started a GoFundMe page, saying his medical bills so far are more than $2 million.
Josh Dirks is the second football coach in the district to die in just two months. Dirks’ death comes less than two months after Coach Chris Burnett, an assistant football coach at Olathe East, died from COVID-19.
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