The Kansas City Chiefs have announced the Coach of the Week honors for this week. The awards go to Platte County Head Coach Bill Utz and Lawrence Free State Head Coach Bob Lisher.
As a result of this honor, both schools will receive a $500 player health and safety grant from the Hunt Family Foundation. Each school will also receive a Gatorade Sideline Kit, including coolers, bottles and Gatorade products. Additionally, both coaches will be presented congratulatory footballs autographed by Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid and a certificate recognizing their selection.
Both coaches are now qualified for the Eric Driskell Coach of the Year Award, which will be voted on later this fall. The Eric Driskell Coach of the Year Award is selected by a panel comprised of the Missouri and Kansas Boards from the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association. One coach will be selected from the pool of weekly winners and will be honored at the 2019 Pro Bowl as the Eric Driskell Coach of the Year.
Platte County defeated Winnetonka 57-21 in the first week of the Missouri Class 4A district playoffs. The win moved the Pirates to 9-1 on the season heading into the district semifinals.
"It is very humbling to receive this prestigious award," Utz said. "In our case, this award is for the tremendous coaches we have and the work they do, and for the amazing young men who sacrifice to be successful. I am truly blessed to work with such an amazing group of people. I want to thank the Kansas City Chiefs organization for recognizing high school football, and PrepsKC for helping take high school football in the KC Metro to a new level."
Free State beat Wichita North 61-8 in the first round of the Kansas Class 6A playoffs. The win kept the Firebirds undefeated on the season improving to 9-0.
"The Chiefs Coach of the Week award is a great honor for our program," Lisher said. "We are so fortunate to have great players, coaches, and parents who through all of their hard work have garnered success. Thank you to the Kansas City Chiefs for all they do for high school football."
In its 22nd season, the 2018 High School Coach of the Week Fueled by Gatorade is a joint initiative of the Kansas City Chiefs and the National Football League. This program is designed to recognize and reward Kansas City area high school coaches for superior performance on a weekly basis while honoring individuals who are shaping today's youth and tomorrow's leaders.
The Kansas City Chiefs partner with PrepsKC to select Coaches of the Week from Missouri and Kansas each week. PrepsKC is the only complete multimedia coverage of high school football in the Kansas City Metro. This new way to look at high school football combines a dynamic web site, weekly magazine and comprehensive weekly radio show. More information about PrepsKC, including scores, schedules and coverage can be found at www.prepskc.com.
