Southwest Kansas Storm, 2025 Coaching Staff

The Southwest Kansas Storm will be going into the 2025 season with nearly the same coaching staff they made the playoffs in 2024 with, outside of one new face to the staff. Let us take a brief look at the men in charge and what they bring to the table in 2025.

Gary Thomas, Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator

Coach Gary Thomas cut his teeth working in the college ranks including 2 years as the Head Coach at College of DuPage, and six seasons as the head coach for Dodge City Community College. Coach Thomas is no stranger to turning programs around by tearing them down to the studs and rebuilding them with a clearcut vision, and that is exactly what he is doing for the Storm.

In his first season coaching arena football, the Storm produced a 4-5 record making the playoffs as the fifth seed. They faced the Salina Liberty, ultimately losing a tight game. Heading into the 2025 season the ironman rules are gone, allowing the team to bring in the best players available at each position without needing to consider playing both sides of the ball. With a promising roster the sky is the limit for the Storm in 2025.

Jason Scheck, Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers Coach

Coach Jason Scheck is another very experienced coach. Having served in many capacities during his coaching career, he is something of a defensive specialist. He has served as a head coach and defensive coordinator in the past, and on the Storm’s current staff he is the defensive play caller, and linebacker coach.

In 2024 he helped Vincent DiLeo, and Marquise Lawson-Greenwood find their way back outdoors and into the UFL after just one season of arena football. Both men turned into immediate contributors making impact plays all over the field. Heading into 2025, he returns his top defensive back who produced turnovers in nearly every game he played in 2024, as well as veterans from teams in the AF1 and other indoor leagues which should create a potent mixture in 2025.

Patrick Callahan Assistant Head Coach and Secondary Coach

Coach Callahan has crossed paths with Coach Thomas in the past and reunited with him in 2024 in a whole new venture. This partnership paid dividends as his unit became part of the heartbeat of a playoff team. Known as a film junkie, he has made breaking down opposing offenses an art and passed this knowledge down to his players over the years, a facet of his coaching career that has not gone unnoticed by his peers.

In 2024 Coach Callahan was able to produce a very solid unit despite often playing with wide receivers asked to play defensive back, and vice versa. As mentioned above Michael Lawson turned into one of the most important pieces of the defense under his guidance and returns in 2025 to lead a unit that could have the potential to be even better this season.

Anathan Gibson, Defensive Line Coach

Coach Gibson is another member of this staff that has previously worked with Head Coach Gary Thomas during their time with Dodge City Community College. A former JUCO player himself including one season at DCCC, Gibson has coached many players that found their way into the professional ranks in the past. Now serving as a defensive line coach for the Storm, he is a member of the staff that helped develop rookie Marquis Lawson-Greenwood into one of, if not the best pass rusher in the AFL in 2024.

With Lawson-Greenwood making the leap to the UFL after just one season in arena football, Gibson’s unit will be made up of newcomers looking to put some polish on their game. Gibson might be the perfect coach to take a talented unit to the next level. With players from schools like Florida State, UNLV, and Baylor, this unit is stacked with talent and awaiting the right coaching staff to mold them into the dominant unit they can become.

Marcos Gutierres, Offensive Line Coach

Coach Gutierres is a former offensive lineman in his own right. A native of Dodge City, Kansas, he attended Dodge City High School and went on to serve as a team captain for Coach Thomas at Dodge City Community College. Playing left tackle, he was considered the MVP of the offensive line and named All Conference along the way.

After his playing career he got into coaching, a conclusion that he seemed destined for given the way he approached the game. Having coached both offensive and defensive lines during his coaching career, he has a unique insight to assist his offensive line be the best unit they can be in 2025. Stocked with multiple former Division 1 players on the offensive line, his unit could be among the best in the league under his guidance if they stay healthy.

Final Word

The Storm’s coaching staff quickly earned the respect of their fellow coaches in the AFL in 2024 and look to build on that reputation in 2025. With a new league, a new group of players, and new rules in 2025 it is looking like the Storm are in great hands. This group of players could find themselves on the path to the playoffs once again in 2025 if they stay healthy.