Something starts to shift around middle school. Our kids get busier, more distracted, and dads can feel like they are losing connection and don’t know how to help. Father’s Club was built around a simple belief: that showing up makes a difference.
Jeremy Marks recently spoke with Mike Davisson, Executive Director of Father’s Club, to talk about the organization that has quietly grown into a movement across more than 50 chapters in the Kansas City area and beyond.
The idea behind it
Father’s Club is all about dads showing up at school, being present in the spaces where their kids spend their days, and supporting each other in the process.
The organization was co-founded by Brad Holdhusen and Vince Stephens, who passed away but whose memory remains central to Father’s Club’s mission. Jeremy was proud to share that the organization was recently awarded the Buck O’Neill Legacy Seat by the Kansas City Royals, a recognition that brought Brad to the stadium to be honored and to honor Vince.
The goal has always been to give dads an intentional, accessible way to be involved. Research backs up what most of us already know, and that’s the simple fact that kids do better when their dads are around. Father’s Club believes that showing up at school is one of the most concrete ways a dad can demonstrate that.
The barrier for entry is low
Joining Father’s Club requires almost nothing. There are no dues, no mandatory meetings, and no attendance tracking. A dad can contribute 20 to 30 minutes a year and still be part of something meaningful. Their ask is simply to show up when you can.
Chapters operate in high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools across the metro, from Shawnee Mission, Olathe, and Blue Valley to Lee’s Summit, Raymore, DeSoto, and Lawrence, with Mill Valley in conversations to join as well.
Jeremy has been involved with the Lee’s Summit chapter for over four years. He will tell anyone who will listen about the difference it has made, for both the kids and for the dads.
Two golf tournaments this fall
Father’s Club funds its chapter work through the Mission Cup Golf Tournament, and this year they are running two of them.
- August 17, 2026 at Fred Arbanas Golf Club in Lee’s Summit
- September 28, 2026 at Sycamore Ridge Golf Course in Spring Hill
Both events are open for foursome registrations and corporate sponsorships ranging from $2,500 to $20,000. Every dollar goes back into supporting chapters and the work they do in schools across the region.
How to get involved
If you are a dad looking for a way in, or a mom who wants to get your kids’ school connected, or a business interested in sponsoring, fathersclub.org has everything you need. You can see all 50 active chapters, find out if your school is already involved, and sign up in minutes.
As Mike said: “We know the legacy that we leave isn’t what we do with our careers, but what we do with our kids and our family.”