Every Kansas City sports fan can list all the championships their teams have won since 2010, or can they?

The Chiefs have hoisted the Lombardi Trophy three times since 2020. The Royals ended a 30-year drought in 2015. Sporting KC claimed the 2013 MLS Cup and multiple Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cups. The Comets won a MISL indoor title, and FC Kansas City brought home back-to-back championships during their explosive NWSL run.

But something’s missing: the 2016 national championship won by the Kansas City Gaelic Athletic Club (KCGAC). Most probably had no clue, but it was a massive accomplishment for Kansas City’s only Irish sports organization.

A Different Kind of Football

When locals think of football, they picture Arrowhead Stadium on a Sunday afternoon after a long morning of tailgating at Truman Sports Complex. But just a few miles from NFL’s loudest kingdom, a different football — Gaelic football, not to be confused with soccer — has taken root.

Gaelic football is a fast-paced Irish sport blending elements of soccer, rugby, basketball, volleyball and numerous other sports. Played with a ball similar to what is used in soccer on a grass field, typically with 11 to 15 players per team, the goal is to score by kicking or punching the ball into the opponent’s net (3 points) or over the crossbar between two upright posts (1 point).

Players can carry the ball for four steps before bouncing or soloing (dropping and toe-kicking it back to their hands), pass by hand or foot, and tackle with controlled physicality. It’s a thrilling, skillful game rooted in Irish culture.

Hurling, Ireland’s other national sport, dates back approximately 3,000 years and is often referred to as the “fastest game on grass.” It is similar to gaelic football but with wooden sticks called hurleys.

Players strike a small, hard ball called a sliotar to score in the same goal setup as gaelic football (3 points for a goal, 1 point over the crossbar). Players pass and carry the sliotar with the hurley, requiring remarkable hand-eye coordination. With its blend of hockey-like stickwork, lacrosse-style aerial play, and physicality, hurling captivates with its relentless pace and daring athleticism.

From a Church Meeting to National Champions

KCGAC has become a regional hub for these gaelic games, the traditional Irish sports of gaelic football and hurling. Founded in 2008 by a group of 12 local GAA enthusiasts, the club now competes regularly throughout the region and has developed into a welcoming home for athletes of all backgrounds in America’s expanding gaelic games scene.

“The club serves as an integral part of the Irish community in Kansas City,” club chairman Mark Hart said. “The KCGAC provides an opportunity for competitive Irish sports in Kansas City, the only such outlet between St. Louis and Denver.”

KCGAC was born on March 30, 2008, during a meeting at Redemptorist Church in midtown Kansas City. What began as a Gaelic football-focused effort soon evolved. The founders chose the broader name “Kansas City Gaelic Athletic Club” to allow room for future expansion into hurling, which came shortly thereafter.

Within weeks of their first meeting, the club held its inaugural practice at old Southwest High School in Kansas City’s Brookside neighborhood. Practices eventually moved to Swope Park, where they made a home for several years.

Over time, the club has grown in size and skill, sending teams to compete in regional tournaments and the USGAA National Championships, held annually in different cities across the United States.

In 2016, the Wolfhounds made history, defeating Tacoma 2-14 to 1-3 in the national championship game, claiming the USGAA Junior D National Championship. The victory marked a major milestone for the club and was celebrated with a civic trophy presentation at Browne’s Irish Marketplace, where then-Mayor Sly James helped recognize the achievement.

“When we started, we just wanted a place to play the sport we loved,” founding member Drake Bynum said. “We had no field, barely enough players, and no clue where it would lead. To go from that to lifting a national championship trophy, it was just so surreal. It proved what’s possible when passion and community come together.”

Building Community Through Sport

The club’s impact extends beyond the pitch. In 2017, KCGAC was named the Grand Marshal of the Kansas City St. Patrick’s Day Parade, the first-ever organization — not individual — to be given the honor in the more than four decades of the parade.

That same year, KCGAC’s bold new kits were recognized by SportsJOE.ie as among the most beautiful in global GAA, gaining international attention and orders from around the world.

“We never imagined our kits would get global recognition, but that’s the beauty of what we’re doing,” Bynum said. “People from Ireland, Canada, Australia were asking about Kansas City GAA. It felt like we weren’t just part of a local club; we were part of something much bigger.”

Off the field, the club has been an instrumental figure in Kansas City’s Irish community as regular faces at Irish cultural events, including the Kansas City Irish Fest, Kansas City St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Iowa Irish Fest. The club has been appreciative of all those who have supported the club over the years from local businesses such as Restless Spirits Distilling Company to the Kansas City Irish Center.

“None of this would be possible without community support,” Hart said. “They allow us a foundation and community to lean on and grow through various initiatives such as training, recruitment, allowing us to partake in their events and providing us space to host our own events.”

Promoting Irish Sport in the Heartland

Today, the Kansas City Gaelic Athletic Club continues to recruit new players — no Irish ties required.

The Wolfhounds train weekly at Rockhurst High School from spring through fall. Newcomers are welcome, and no prior experience in Gaelic games is necessary. Players, fans, and curious first-timers can learn more at kansascitygac.com.

As the popularity of Irish sports grows across North America, Kansas City remains a hidden — but proud — center of the movement. And the Wolfhounds hope the games continue to grow in popularity in Kansas City and across the continent in the years ahead.

“We are a cultural hub for Irish community members,” Hart said. “Those of Irish descent and Irish born alike, a social outlet for community members. We represent the city that we love in sports that we are passionate about.”