Central's Chandler Hovik, 24, becomes youngest head football coach in Arizona

Richard Obert
The Republic | azcentral.com
Cesar Chavez QB Chandler Hovik runs from the Betty Fairfax defense in a 2011 high school football game.

Chandler Hovik became the youngest head football coach in Arizona this week when Phoenix Central High School named him its permanent coach, replacing Jon Clanton.

Hovik, 24, graduated from Laveen Cesar Chavez in 2012. He was the starting quarterback for Jim Rattay, passing for 3,600 yards and 30 touchdowns in his two-year varsity career.

He joins six other coaches in their 20s leading Arizona high school football programs: Kerry Taylor at Phoenix Arcadia, Louie Ramirez at Marana, Robert Ortiz at Cottonwood Mingus, Ryan McBrayer at Tucson Sabino, Jake Teyechea at Nogales, and James Fitzgerald at Douglas. Both Ramirez and Fitzgerald are 26. McBrayer and Taylor are 29. Ortiz and Teyechea are 27.

Hovik took over as interim coach during the 2018 season while Clanton was placed on leave during a Phoenix Union High School District investigation over a heated hand-shake exchange with Maricopa coach Brandon Harris after a game in which Clanton felt the coach was running up the score.

MORE:Interim coaches giving high school football teams hope in uncertain times

Central lost key skill-position players early in the season to transfer moves and finished 2-8.

"I couldn't be more excited to be taking over the Central football program," Hovik said. "I have a lot of pride in the Phoenix Union district being an alum of Cesar Chavez High School.

"We have our work cut out for us and it will be an uphill climb to get this program to where it needs to be. But we are ready to go to work and put Central High School on the map. We are going to do things the right way and make sure we lay a solid foundation to build upon. We want to be a football program that makes our community proud and show that these young men will not only do whatever it takes to improve their performance on the field but off the field as well in the classroom and in the community.

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"Our motto going forward is, 'All in.' Everyone involved with this program will give everything they have to make sure these young men are ready for their future."

Gilbert Campo Verde veteran coach Max Ragsdale, who helps lead the Arizona Football Coaches Association, calls football coaching "a young man's game these days."

There has been big coaching turnovers every year in Arizona. Part of it is the pay.

Part of it is the time demand and ultimate burnout.

"I love what I do, so it's really not work for me," Ragsdale said. "But it's very time-consuming."

Ragsdale, who also coaches wrestling, is on his way for a weekend wrestling tournament with his Campo Verde team in San Diego.

"I see why there's burnout," he said.

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To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him at twitter.com/azc_obert.