The Kansas City Chiefs have announced their Coach of the Week honors for the eighth week of the season. The awards go to University Academy coach Ryan Heffley (Missouri) and Mill Valley High School coach Joel Applebee (Kansas).
As a result of this honor, both schools will receive a $500 player health and safety grant from the Hunt Family Foundation. 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.
University Academy beat East High School 49-0 to win its third-straight game. The victory also gave the Gryphons a 6-3 record on the season and locked down the No. 1 seed in the Class 1 District 8 tournament.
"This is a great honor for our program," Heffley said. "This award is an indication of the great players, coaches, and managers that we have. They work hard every single day and I'm grateful they are getting recognition for their efforts. Thank you to the Kansas City Chiefs for the recognition."
Mill Valley defeated Shawnee Mission North High School 55-0 to finish its regular and conference season at 7-1 earning the school's first Sunflower League title. The two-time defending Kansas Class 5A champions also locked down the No. 1 seed in the 5A East Bracket heading into the postseason.
"This honor is a direct reflection of the hard work and dedication of our players and managers in our program," Applebee said. "It also reflects the work ethic and efforts of our coaching staff, athletic trainer and administration at Mill Valley High School. Thank you to the Kansas City Chiefs and NFL for recognizing that commitment."
In its 25th season, the 2021 High School Coach of the Week 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. For the last 12 years it has combined 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.
