Kyle Buresh to coach Muncie Central football program

Muncie, Ind. – Kyle Buresh is a winner. It’s all he’s done since leading LaPorte High School’s football team to its first-ever regional championship as a team captain back in 2006. Next year, he’ll bring his winning ways to Muncie Central as the Bearcats’ new head coach, replacing Kyle Padgett who recently stepped down to accept a position in Indianapolis.

Over the past five years, Buresh has compiled a 45-14 record at Mississinewa High School with two sectional championships, two conference championships and the school’s only 12-win season (2023). Last year, the Indians were 11-0 before falling in the sectional championship to eventual state finalist Ft. Wayne Bishop Luers.

Leaving such a successful program behind was not an easy decision, but Buresh, who has lived in Muncie since 2020, says there’s a lot to like at Muncie Central.

“The improvement overall that they’ve made foundationally and culturally under coach Padgett has been really good and extremely positive,” Buresh said. “It’s a place that has an extremely high ceiling from an athletic perspective, from a football perspective, and now it’s just time to see some of the fruits of that labor.”

Prior to leading Mississinewa’s program, Buresh spent nine years as an assistant coach at the small college level, including Denison University (Ohio), Indiana Wesleyan (Marion), Dakota Wesleyan (South Dakota), Wheaton College (Illinois) and Midland University (Nebraska). He mainly coached wide receivers and quarterbacks on the college level, earning him a reputation as an outstanding offensive mind. Last year, his team outscored its opponents 456-80.

Buresh will call on all his experience to turn around the Bearcats’ program, which hasn’t posted a winning record since its 7-4 season under Adam Morris in 2016. Still, Buresh is excited about the challenge.

“The goal every game, every week is to win, but you have to trust the process that goes into winning, which is the meetings, the teaching, the practice, the technique… getting our guys to buy into all of it on the field,” he said. “We are going to work tirelessly as a coaching staff to put our guys in a great schematic situation every play.”

That approach, along with his enthusiasm and proven record, helped Buresh stand out as the perfect person to succeed Padgett as the program’s new leader. His hiring will not become official until the Muncie Community Schools Board of Trustees approves his application at its next meeting May 13.

“Coach Padgett did an amazing job changing the culture of the program over the past three years,” MCS Board President Jim Williams said. “Coach Buresh will now have the opportunity to build a program the entire community will be proud to support because of the way it competes and how the players conduct themselves on the field and in the classroom. We’re excited about taking this next step.”

Once approved, Buresh will teach physical education at Central in addition to his duties as head coach. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Franklin College (Ind.) and a master’s degree from Midland University. He and his wife, Cynthia, have three children.