New Lincoln coach Jon Kitna's goal: Creating family atmosphere through successful football

If Jon Kitna’s vision is fulfilled, Lincoln High School – and Tacoma, too – will experience success that goes far beyond the football field.

At a news conference Thursday afternoon that introduced the 1991 Lincoln graduate and former NFL quarterback as the Abes head football coach, Kitna spoke about using sports to produce men and women of integrity and future leaders.

“My vision, our vision, for Lincoln High School, the football program, in the building, in Tacoma in general, we want to create a family atmosphere for young men, our school and our community through the avenue of a top-flight football program,” said Kitna, with his wife, Jennifer, sitting next to him.

More than 100 people, including a few former mayors, local politicians, former classmates and teachers, crammed the library at Lincoln to hear Kitna speak. He drew laughs when he joked about old yearbook photos and the NFL dreams of nonscholarship athlete at Central Washington University.

He also raised eyebrows when he revealed an ambitious and inspiring goal to turn Lincoln, which has reached the state playoffs only once since 1973, into one of the top football programs in the Northwest.

“A program that will be relevant and competitive statewide within five years,” Kitna said, “and nationally within 10 years.”

The Tacoma School District is discussing possible changes to its middle school sports system that could make achieving that success easier for all city schools.

“We are looking at really revamping the whole middle school model,” said Jennifer Kubista, director of student life. “Part of that conversation is tackle football. It is the whole system, not just adding football. We want to develop a quality program for our feeder middle schools that feed up into all of our high schools.”

Kitna said he’ll meet with the football team as soon as possible and within the next few days.

“I’m pretty excited,” junior lineman Peau Seigafo said. “We’ve got an NFL player as our coach.”

Kitna said the Abes will no longer run the Wing-T, but he wouldn’t reveal what type of offense he’ll install.

“I know what I want to do and I’ve already got the playbook,” he said with a grin. “I just don’t want to let it out yet.”

Lincoln athletic director Char Davenport contacted Kitna three years ago when Lincoln was searching for a head football coach. Kitna wasn’t ready then, but he was when Davenport called him again in November and told him the job was available.

“Char and I have had a few conversations throughout the years,” he said, “and she has been instrumental in making this happen.”

In 15 seasons in the NFL, Kitna played for Seattle, Cincinnati, Detroit and Dallas. He retired earlier this month to start a new career as a math teacher and football coach.

 “He brings a passion for math – and he also knows a little bit about football,” said Lincoln co-principal Pat Erwin, as he introduced Kitna. “He is someone who is going to reach our kids. He’s going to connect with kids.”

Student athletes are already clamoring to get into Kitna’s classes and they are excited to have him as a coach.

“I’m going to see my (academic) counselor tomorrow,” said Eric Pula, a Lincoln junior and member of the Abes football team.

“I think he’s going to be a great coach because he knows his stuff,” said Keenon Kwon, a sophomore football player. “Hopefully, he will push us. And hopefully, turn me into a great quarterback.”

Kitna will step into the classroom Feb. 7.

“Coaching and teaching at Lincoln has always been a dream of mine,” he said.

He is taking a bit of a pay cut to become a Tacoma teacher.

As a slightly more than half-time teacher (.60 FTE), he’ll earn just over $23,000 in annual salary. (Less this year, since he’s starting mid-year.) He’ll teach three classes of algebra, including one class aimed at students who need extra help in math.

His seasonal stipend for coaching the Abes: $6,478.

Kitna, who graduated from CWU in 1996 with a math education degree, acknowledges that he has much to learn from his teaching colleagues. He’s already spent time at Lincoln getting to know them.

Asked about the differences between Lincoln then and now, he said he’d noticed “bigger hallways.” Also, “they have changed where you go to eat – and where you go when you get in trouble,” Kitna said.

But he said Lincoln test scores and graduation rates are on the way up, and that he’s looking forward to joining in the effort to keep them headed in the right direction.

“There’s greatness in the hallways,” Kitna said.

Cookie Kitzman taught geometry to Kitna when he was a Lincoln sophomore. She said he stood out as a leader among students even then.

“It’s a trick teachers do – look for whoever is the ringleader, or the jokester – and get them on your side,” Kitzman said. She said it took a couple of days, but with Kitna’s help, she won students over.

Kitna said his Lincoln basketball coach, John McCrossin, taught him what it means to be a real leader.

What was Kitna like as a young athlete?

“Jon was a focused, competitive kid,” McCrossin said. “You can’t teach that level of competitiveness. You either have it or you don’t. But you can channel it.”

Even though it’s been a while since Kitna’s formal teacher training days, he’s had plenty of experience raising his own kids.

Kitna and his wife have four children, ages 5 through 14, at home. Two adopted children – relatives the couple took into their home – are now adults.

Kitna said he has had classroom leadership training and has spent some time recently in math classrooms.

He plans a decades-long career at Lincoln.

“My greatest challenge is that I want to be a teacher of excellence,” he said. “I don’t want to just fill a classroom.”

Doug Pacey: 253-597-8271

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Twitter: @DougPaceyTNT