Don Clarico 1935-2021: Longtime area coach, educator always put relationships above wins, losses

It's not always about wins and losses with a high school coach, it's more about the impact. Don Clarico, who died Oct. 10 at age 85, made a lot of football players and fellow coaches better people during his life as a coach, teacher and principal. "Unbelievable man," said former Midview football coach Bill Albright, who had Clarico on his coaching staff for many years. "His wife, Margot, a sweetheart, a lot of great memories. We're going to get together with that old staff and there will be a hundred memories about Don." Not that Clarico didn't want to win, he did. He just tried to go about it the right way. When he took over Avon's football team in 1980, the Eagles were struggling but he turned the team into champions, winning the Inland Conference title. Avon had lost 14-0 to unbeaten Brooklyn early in the year but when the teams met for the conference championship, the Eagles turned the tables, winning 18-8. One of the stars on Clarico's first Avon team at Avon Chris Check, a tailback and safety who had transferred from St. Edward. Brooklyn was a heavy favorite to win the title game, coming in at 10-0, 7-0 in the conference's East Division. Avon was 7-3 and 5-2 in the West. "They had beaten us on Homecoming but Coach Clarico was so good at putting things in perspective," Check said. "We actually started slow over the course of the season but no one was scoring on our defense. "We lost that game on Homecoming when they scored on a fumble return, and a bad snap that gave them the ball inside our 10- or 15-yard line. We were pretty confident that we'd be in the (championship) game. He had a way of reaching different personalities." Check carried the ball 27 times and gained over 100 yards as Avon got its revenge and the conference title. Clarico was named the conference and Lorain County coach of the year, sharing the county honor with Clearview legend Tom Hoch. Clarico became Avon's principal in 1983 and retired from teaching in 1987. He continued to coach, however, taking the reins at Columbia for two seasons in the early 1990s and assisted at Midview and Keystone for many years after, including for his son, Rob, at Keystone. He was inducted in the Lorain County Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 2003. "He was at Avon for about a decade," Rob Clarico said. "He was with me at Keystone for about a decade and at Midview for a long time. He was with Columbia for only two years but so many people have reached out to me to tell me what a difference he made in their lives from the time he was at Columbia. It's just amazing to me what a major difference he was in their lives. "He was still coaching up to a couple years ago. Then he had back surgery and it made it difficult for him to walk so he knew he couldn't coach anymore. I'm always thankful I had that time with him." Albright had special praise for Clarico's contribution to Midview's success. "Every good thing that happened to the Midview program back in the late '90s and early 2000s and that I personally was able to experience because of coaching can be directly associated with my friendship with Don," he said. "He taught me and our staff so much. So much about football, how to do things the right way but also taught me how to be a better father, a better husband, as well as a better teacher and a better coach. "It was a magical eight years and we were fortunate to keep that friendship alive until he passed away." Mark Hollars, who coached at Avon, North Olmsted and Westlake, recalled Clarico's years as principal at Avon. "Mr. Clarico is one of my favorite people," said Hollars, who is now coaching in Georgia. "We were so lucky to have him. When I transitioned from middle school to high school, he had stepped aside from football to become the principal. "Being in education now, the culture he created within that high school was amazing. When I think of Mr. Clarico, he brought the best out in you. You never had a conversation with Mr. Clarico where you didn't walk away feeling better about yourself. If you're going to be a football coach or a principal, you have to be able to communicate with people. He had relationships with teachers, with students — it wasn't just the athletes. It wasn't just the coaches. He had a positive relationship with everyone." Clarico always had a great sense of humor. He once greeted a Chronicle-Telegram reporter following a one-sided loss by saying, "Sorry you could make it." "Don Clarico was very much a mentor to me," said Don Griswold, Keystone's football coach who worked alongside Clarico as a Wildcats assistant. "He helped me figure out a lot of things, coaching-wise — from a psychology standpoint, from an X's and O's standpoint. He had a tremendous positive effect on my life. "He was ahead of his time. He was very much concerned with the relationship first. He won a lot of football games at a variety of roles and all kinds of levels. I was really blessed to spend eight, nine years together." Clarico played football and basketball and ran track at Waynesburg High School. He went to Kent State on a partial football scholarship but joined the Navy after football season. He finished his college education at Mount Union and Ohio University. "It was such a small school, he did everything," Rob said of his father's high school playing days. "He was always so proud about how successful they were." The basketball team, coached by Walter Headley, lost to Grand Rapids in the 1951 Class B championship game. Ironically, Grand Rapids was coached by Dale Reichenbach, who later had a Hall of Fame coaching career at Elyria High. Clarico credited Headley with guiding him into a career in education. He married Margot in 1960 and they had three children, Rob, Michael, who passed away in 1967, and Kristen. "He lost a son when I was just a baby," Rob said. "I think that gave him the empathy about what other people are going through. I think that was his real strength. Always make authentic and sincere relationships with individuals." Contact Tim Gebhardt at 329-7135 or timothygeb@msn.com.