Lee’s Summit West football coach Royce Boehm retires after 12 seasons

Royce Boehm’s travel schedule is about to heat up.

His coaching schedule is coming to a close.

The only head football coach in Lee’s Summit West history stepped down from his position Thursday morning, after sharing his intentions with his players.

Boehm, who guided the Titans to three state championships in 12 seasons, is the father of Missouri senior offensive lineman Evan Boehm, a projected NFL Draft pick next spring, and Lee’s Summit West senior Tyler Boehm, who plans to play football in college.

“I want to be flexible to watch them follow their dreams,” Boehm said. “I’m not going to have anything holding me down. I think, as a parent, it’s tough to miss your kids’ games. I want to be there.”

Boehm compiled a 117-35 record in 12 seasons with the Titans, who won the Missouri Class 4 state championship in 2007 and Missouri Class 5 state titles in 2010 and 2013. In Boehm’s 12 seasons, Lee’s Summit West made the state semifinals six times. The school opened in 2004.

The Titans finished 6-5 in 2015.

“We built a family here,” he said. “It’s not an easy thing to leave.”

Boehm began coaching in 1998, when he was a defensive coordinator at Belton High School. After seven years, he left for an assistant coaching position at Lee’s Summit North, where he spent the next nine seasons before taking over the Lee’s Summit West program.

He underwent a heart procedure in July, and in the days before the operation, he came to the conclusion that 2015 would be his final season.

“I knew that, you know what, I need to step back, relax and just enjoy life,” he said. “And what better way to do that than watching your kids play football?”

This story was originally published November 19, 2015 at 7:54 AM with the headline "Lee’s Summit West football coach Royce Boehm retires after 12 seasons."