KANSAS CITY, Mo. — On Thursday, Sept. 10, the Kansas City Chiefs announced their Week 1 Coach of the Week recipients for the 2026 season.
Lee's Summit West High School Head Coach Benny Palmer (Missouri) and Olathe Northwest High School Head Coach Lorne Clark (Kansas) are the Week 1 selections for their team's performances last week. This honor aims to recognize Kansas City-area head coaches for their success and leadership, on and off the field.
As part of their recognition, both coaches will receive a $500 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.
Head Coach Benny Palmer has Lee's Summit West off to a strong 2-0 start, with their most recent win coming in a 31-21 over Park Hill on Sept. 4. The Titans are currently ranked No. 20 in the state of Missouri (No. 11 Missouri Division 6, No. 11 Kansas City) as they head into a major matchup this Friday, Sept. 11, against their cross-town rivals, Lee's Summit North.
"I am really appreciative of the recognition for our Titan Football Program," Palmer said. "The coaching staff and these players dealt with the adversity of the temperature impacting our schedule. Our leaders made sure we didn't miss a beat in our preparation and that was apparent. Thanks to the Kansas City Chiefs on being named Coach of the Week and their continuous support for high school football, here in Kansas City."
Palmer is in his first season as head coach at Lee's Summit West High School and is the fourth head coach in the program's history. Prior to taking the mantle as the team's leader, he served as the offensive coordinator for the 2025 Class 6 state champion Lee's Summit High School Tigers football team, averaging nearly 30 points per game during the 2025 season. Palmer served a stint as head football coach at Park Hill South High School (2022), a four-year tenure as head football coach at Winnetonka High School (2018-2021), and fulfilled assistant and coordinator positions at local programs, including Odessa, Raytown, and Lee's Summit High School.
Palmer played college football at William Jewell College, a Division II school in Liberty, Missouri. He was a four-year starting quarterback for the Cardinals before transitioning into his coaching career. Palmer's most impressive accolades include winning the Missouri football Class 6 State Championship in 2025 and being honored by the Kansas City Chiefs as Coach of the Week in 2019, during his time reviving the Winnetonka football program.
Under Head Coach Lorne Clark, Olathe Northwest has picked up right where it left off following last season's historic run to the Kansas 6A title game.
The Ravens kicked off their season with a 27-0 shutout over Olathe South. The team's defense was stifling, holding the Olathe South Falcons scoreless across all four quarters, and the offense held their own behind five returning starters on the offensive line. Currently sitting at No. 18 in the Kansas Rankings (No. 8 Kansas Division 6A, No. 22 Kansas City), Clark was proud of the way his team started the season.
"Thank you to the Kansas City Chiefs for the recognition," Clark said. "Recognitions like this would not be possible without our coaching staff, players, and ONW community that supports me, as well as our program. Our kids competed well last Friday with our defense getting a shutout, offense having some bright moments, and our kicker making a 54-yard field goal to cap off the night. We are looking forward to another week of football and hoping to get better every week going forward."
Clark led the Ravens to their first ever 6A state championship appearance, finishing 9-4 after making a historic postseason run. This success came just two seasons after the Ravens finished 2-7, and under the tutelage of Clark as head coach during 2025, the team not only reached the championship game, but also claimed four straight games to get there. In the Kansas Class 6A sub-state championship game, they knocked out Gardner Edgerton High School by 42-28, and keeping the back-to-back state champion (2023 and 2024) Trailblazers from a third consecutive state championship game appearance.
The Ravens play their second game of the 2026 season, and first at home, against Blue Valley Northwest this Friday night under the lights, on Sept. 11. Clark and Olathe Northwest are looking to make their mark for week two and bring their fans another strong win.
Clark is in his fifth season leading Olathe Northwest and spent 11 years on the Ravens staff as an assistant before he earned the keys to the kingdom and was named head coach in 2022. Clark played his early college years as a tight end at City College of San Francisco, where he helped lead the team to two California Community College State Championships in 2000 and 2001. He later transferred to the NCAA Division I level and played for the Kansas State University Wildcats from 2002-2004.
Through mentorship and relentless dedication, both Palmer and Clark mirror the Chiefs commitment to the community by shaping the character and future of Kansas City's student-athletes.
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.
