KANSAS CITY, Mo. — On Wednesday, Sept. 30, the Kansas City Chiefs announced their Week 4 Coach of the Week recipients for the 2026 season.
Central High School Head Coach Michael Klyce (Missouri) and Louisburg High School Head Coach Drew Harding (Kansas) are the Week 4 selections for their team's performances last week. This honor aims to recognize Kansas City-area head coaches for not just their on-field accomplishments, but their mentorship of student-athletes behind the scenes.
As a part of this honor, both coaches will receive a $1,000 grant from the Hunt Family Foundation, a Chiefs bucket hat, a certificate of recognition, and a custom game ball. Both coaches also qualify for the Eric Driskell Coach of the Year Award, which is selected at the end of the high school regular season by a panel from the Missouri and Kansas Boards of the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association.
For Klyce, the recognition comes amid a remarkable turnaround at Central High School. Just three years ago, the Eagles football program was unable to field a varsity team because of low enrollment and participation numbers. Following the program's return in 2024, Klyce has helped lead Central into a new era of stability and success.
At Central, Klyce has overseen one of the area's most impressive football program turnarounds. The Eagles currently hold a 4-1 overall record and sit atop the district standings at 2-0. The four wins already match or exceed the team's season totals from each of the past several years, including records of 3-7 in 2025, 1-8 in 2024 and 1-9 in 2022. Central has not posted a winning season since finishing 5-5 in 2012.
The Eagles enter this week's matchup riding a four-game winning streak after a 26-13 victory over the Northeast Vikings on Friday. Central's success has been fueled by a stingy defense that has allowed just 11.8 points per game this season.
"This acknowledgement means everything to our program here at Central," said Klyce. "It shows our overall growth and development."
Klyce and the Eagles will look to continue their momentum when they travel to face Winnetonka High School on Friday, Oct. 2 at 7 p.m.
Now in his third season at Central, Klyce brought extensive coaching experience to Kansas City after building a reputation for revitalizing programs at both the high school and collegiate levels.
A Southern California native, Klyce guided his alma mater, Locke High School (Los Angeles, Calif.), to its first-ever Los Angeles City Section Division II Championship in 2018, earning Los Angeles Times Coach of the Year honors.
Prior to his arrival, Locke had struggled with enrollment challenges and player eligibility issues, forcing multiple forfeitures during the 2015 and 2016 seasons. Within two years, Klyce helped transform the program into a championship contender.
Before his tenure at Locke, Klyce served as an assistant coach at Tucson High School (Tucson, Ariz.).
He later joined Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas, where he held multiple roles during the 2023 season, including offensive coordinator, special teams coordinator and running backs coach. Klyce also played collegiate football at the University of Arizona from 2005-07 as a strong safety.
Harding and his Wildcats are sweeping their season thus far, with a 4-0 start, and an undefeated mark in both district and league play. Louisburg has established itself as one of the area's most dominant teams early in the season, following their most recent win against the Bonner Springs Braves at home, 47-21. The Wildcats currently hold an average winning margin of 18.75 points per game and are scoring an average of 34.0 points while allowing 15.25 points this season.
This feat is especially meaningful to the Louisburg program and to Harding, being able to bounce back after a 3-6 season in 2025.
"We are very excited to be recognized by the Kansas City Chiefs," Harding said.
This is an award for the entire program. It is great to showcase the commitment and hard work of all the players. It also recognizes the abilities of the assistant coaches to put players in a position to be successful. Thank you to the Chiefs for continuing to support high school football."
Louisburg gets ready to travel to Harrisonville (Mo.) to face the Missouri Wildcat team in a nonleague matchup, Friday, Oct. 2, at 7 p.m.
For Harding, Louisburg's success has deep roots. Now in his fourth season as head coach, Harding is a product of the Louisburg community. He attended Louisburg schools, played football for the Wildcats, and graduated in 2010. His connection to the program spans nearly two decades, making his current role more than just a coaching position.
As the Wildcats starting quarterback from 2007-10, Harding helped lead Louisburg on a playoff run before the team's postseason journey ended against the Bishop Miege Stags in 2009. Because he once stood where his players stand today, Harding understands the challenges and expectations that come with wearing a Louisburg uniform.
Prior to his promotion in 2022, Harding spent five seasons as a Wildcat football assistant coach, including time as a defensive coordinator. He also worked as a teacher, further strengthening his ties to the school and community.
His efforts have not gone unnoticed. During the 2023 season, Harding was named the Kansas City Chiefs Coach of the Week for Week 2, an honor that highlighted the growing success of the Wildcats under his leadership.
Now in its 30th year, The High School Coach of the Week program is a joint initiative between the Kansas City Chiefs and the National Football League.
In addition to highlighting head coaches for their team's performance, this award honors individuals who make a difference in the lives of high school student-athletes by preparing them for life beyond football.
The Kansas City Chiefs partner with PrepsKC to select Coaches of the Week from Missouri and Kansas each week. For the past 16 years, PrepsKC has been Kansas City's only complete multimedia outlet covering high school offering a dynamic website, weekly magazine and comprehensive weekly radio show. More information about PrepsKC, including scores, schedules and coverage can be found at www.prepskc.com.
Uncrustables, the Official PB&J of the Kansas City Chiefs, is the presenting partner of the Chiefs Coach of the Week Program.
