High school football: Clearview set to hire Cody Kaya as new head coach

Even in a year of tumult and transition, Clearview found a way to hold on to tradition. The school announced earlier this week that pending board approval 2011 Clearview grad Cody Kaya will take over as the Clippers' football coach, replacing Mike Collier, who resigned earlier this summer after 18 years. "The bottom line is Clearview and the Clearview football program means a lot to a lot of people," Kaya said. "I understand the tradition and the historic past of Clearview, all the way back from Tom Hoch, and of course Mike Collier, who did an outstanding job." Kaya was a part of the Clippers' coaching staff for the past five seasons, serving as defensive coordination the past two years. In 2023, Kaya's defense was second in the Lorain County League in points allowed as Clearview earned a share of the league title. Kaya credits fellow coaches Tyler Newman and Torre Byers, who were also a part of Collier's staff, and Miles Jones, for helping to keep this summer as normal as possible. "We've been working with the kids and trying to keep this serviceable," Kaya said. "There was a point where we didn't know what direction the program would go in or who would take over. It was very much a giant question mark is a good way of putting it. The kids are happy now to know who's going to be there for them and now we get ready to hit the ground running as we prep for our two-a-days like every other team in the state." This is Kaya's first head coaching position. A teacher in the Lorain City School District, he also coached football at Lorain under Dave McFarland and served as an assistant coach for the baseball team, coaching alongside Brad Ternes. "I've learned a little but from a lot of different people," Kaya said. "Right now the focus is I inherited a Clearview program that has been run well for many years and it kind of set a standard that I am just trying to further elevate at this moment." Kaya had thought that being a head coach might be in his future but he didn't expect the opportunity to arise in such unusual circumstances. "The thought (of being a head coach) had crossed my mind but there had never been an opportunity that I had an interest in going all-in on," Kaya said. "This presented itself, not in the manner I ever would have expected, and I wanted to go through with the experience and see what it brings. "There's a lot of unique circumstances but it comes down to the kids deserve the best and they deserve stability. I've been there for the last five years with them, so I felt I owed it to them and myself to pursue this position at this time." With a lot of changes on the roster as well as in the coaching staff, Kaya has his work out cut out to get the Clippers ready to travel to Fairview in 27 days to take on a team expected to contend for a Chagrin Valley Conference Metro Division title. "We've just really emphasized that we can't worry or talk about what's happened. We need to focus on how we're going to respond," Kaya said. "The word I've used a lot is adversity. These kids in the football program have been through a lot this summer, from students transferring to other schools to obviously changes in the coaching staff. It's been one thing after another. "In high school athletics, you try to adapt to what you have and put your kids in the best position to be successful. We're definitely trying to adjust what we do based on our kids' strengths. I know we'll be ready for Week 1." Contact Todd Shapiro at (440) 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com.