Jim Benkert (born January 31, 1958) is an American high school football coach who has held head coaching positions at Westlake High School, Oaks Christian High School, and Simi Valley High School in California. He is recognized as one of the winningest high school football coaches in Ventura County, with over 300 career victories.
Career
Benkert was born in Inglewood, California. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University, Northridge (CSUN) in 1982, attended California Lutheran University in 1990, and completed a Master of Arts degree from Grand Canyon University in 2000. He began his coaching career as an assistant at Crespi High School before becoming head coach at Westlake High School in 1989.
During his tenure at Westlake High School, Benkert led the football team to four CIF Southern Section championships in 1999, 2003, 2009, and 2011. In 2015, he moved to Oaks Christian High School, where he led the team to a CIF Southern Section Division II title in 2017. In 2018, he was hired by Simi Valley High School, where he led the school to a CIF Southern Section Division Six title in 2023.
Notable players
Many of Benkert's former players advanced to college and professional football careers, including Zach Charbonnet, Mike Seidman, Greg Newman, Rudy Carpenter, Billy Miller, and Nelson Spruce, among others.
Awards and recognition
In December 2023, Benkert was named the Los Angeles Times High School Football Coach of the Year, recognizing his achievements at Simi Valley and his overall contributions to high school football in Southern California. He was also inducted into the Ventura County Sports Hall of Fame. Throughout his career, he has received multiple Ventura County Coach of the Year honors and recognition as the CIF Southern Section Coach of the Year.
