KANSAS CITY, Mo. — On Wednesday, Sept. 16, the Kansas City Chiefs announced their Week 2 Kansas High School Flag Football Coach of the Week recipient for the 2026 season.
Shawnee Mission South High School Head Coach Mark Western is the Week 2 selection for his team's performance in the first week of the high school Flag Football season. The weekly honor spotlights a Kansas Flag Football head coach for building a winning culture and guiding student-athletes.
As part of his recognition, Western will receive a $500 grant from the Hunt Family Foundation, a Chiefs bucket hat, a certificate of recognition and a custom game ball.
Western's Flag Football team at Shawnee Mission South High School is experiencing a dominant debut season, maintaining an undefeated 4-0 record. The Raiders secured early season victories with a 28-0 shutout against Olathe South and a 13-0 win over Olathe West. Most recently, Western's squad demonstrated major resilience by winning two games in a single morning, defeating Bishop Miege 21-0 before overcoming Mill Valley 20-13.
"Thank you to the Kansas City Chiefs for the recognition," Western said. "The girls deserve all the credit for this award. They have been amazing every single day with their desire to learn the game and a daily competitive fire that makes it much easier to coach. I also must mention the SM South parents. Without their support we wouldn't be able to push our girls the way that we do.
"The South community is extremely special. The girls knew Mill Valley was going to be a great test, and it would show us how we stack up vs one of the best teams in the state. I was pleased with the way we showed up and competed. The girls have done a great job of dealing with the heat this season without complaining. This is a fun group to be around daily, and I'm excited to see how they will continue to grow over the next few weeks heading into state."
Western's coaching journey began as a high school teacher inspired by a former high school coach named Jeff Neal. Seeking to emulate Neal's emphasis on player relationships and chemistry, Western taught and assisted for years before serving as head girls basketball coach at Schlagle High School from 2014-19. At Schlagle, Western built an 87-28 record and made four consecutive Class 5A State Tournament appearances, including a third-place state finish in 2019. Western later took over the Shawnee Mission South girls basketball program in 2019, compiling a 115-44 record, an undefeated 2023 regular season, and Class 6A State Championships in 2024 and 2026. These championship runs earned Western the Sports in Kansas 6A Girls Coach of the Year honors twice. In July 2026, Western expanded this legacy by becoming the school's inaugural girls Flag Football head coach, quickly guiding the program to regional prominence.
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 High School Flag Football Coach of the Week feature is in its first year in Kansas following KSHSAA sanctioning.
