The Kansas City Chiefs have announced their Coach of the Week honors for the ninth week of the season. The awards go to Clinton head football coach Cody Carlson (Missouri) and Olathe South head football coach Ron Litchfield (Kansas).
As a result of this honor, both schools will receive a $500 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.
After sitting out of the varsity football season in 2021, Clinton fielded a varsity team in 2022 and defeated Buffalo 37-34 Friday night to earn its first postseason win since 2016. Carlson said this was a big moment for the entire program.
"What a great honor this is for our entire program," Carlson said. "Thank you to our assistant coaches, administrators, community, and families. This award is a testament to all of their hard work and dedication to make this program something the community of Clinton can be proud of. Most importantly, thank you to these players for staying the course and blocking out all the outside noise. It has not been an easy road for them, but we have learned so many life lessons along the way. I believe this District Playoff win has the potential to propel our program to the next level moving forward. Thank you also to PrepsKC for all that you do to cover high school football. Lastly, thank you to the Kansas City Chiefs and the Hunt Family Foundation. I am so proud of this football program."
In its 26th season, the 2022 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.
About Gary Spani: Spani, the Director of Special Events, is a KC Chiefs Hall of Famer and Kansas State Wildcat. He finished his impressive nine year career with the Chiefs as the teams all-time leading tackler (999), a record he still holds. He was voted NFL Man of the Year in 1983 and helped guide the team to its first playoff berth in 15 years in 1986. Spani was the first ever consensus All-America performer at Kansas State University and is enshrined as a member of the College Hall of Fame. He was named one of Sports Illustrated’s 50 Greatest Players of the 20th Century from the state of Kansas.
