‘We lost one of the good ones:’ Shawnee Mission Northwest swim coach remembers student
Rising senior Will Ensley of Shawnee was known by his coach and teammates for being a leader in life, academics and athletics, according to Ryan Lee, Shawnee Mission Northwest head swim coach.
Ensley, 17, was struck and killed by another vehicle Wednesday while driving southbound near the 11400 block of Metcalf Avenue, said Officer John Lacy, a spokesman for the Overland Park Police Department. The initial crash led to several other collisions involving a total of 9 vehicles that shut down the roadway for hours.
Lee said Ensley will be missed, and that as a coach, he was lucky and blessed to have been a small part of Ensley’s athletic success.
“We lost one of the good ones. His parents, Randall and Sharon, installed absolutely amazing character, heart and work ethic in that young man — as an athlete he was a coach’s dream. I never had to worry about his grades, effort at practice, or doing the right things to maximize his athletic performance,” Lee said.
Ensley competed with the Shawnee Mission Northwest varsity swimming team for two years, and according to their athletic website, took 7th place at Kansas 6A state championships in February 2023 , setting a new school record in the breaststroke.
“I’m thankful we were able to achieve some of the goals we’ve talked about, but I’m very sad I couldn’t help him achieve his ultimate goal. I am heartbroken and will miss him very much,” Lee said.
In addition to competing on the boys’ varsity team, Lee said Ensley helped manage the girls’ team, keeping them motivated and ready for practice and encouraging them through every race.
Lisa Gruman, the school’s principal, wrote in a letter to families, “As you can imagine, this is devastating news for the family and for all of us here at Northwest — Will was an amazing presence in our community. We will keep the family close in our thoughts as we hold our Northwest community close as well.”
Ensley’s presence in the school both in the classroom and in the pool will be missed, Lee said, adding, “He was just coming into his full potential and would have been extremely successful in anything he decided to do in life.”
The Star’s Andrea Klick contributed to this reporting.
