The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Lipps family savoring state final run together
John serves as LaVerde assistant, son Ryan is versatile senior for the Hornets
John Lipps is an assistant on Tiger LaVerde’s staff, and Ryan Lipps is a versatile senior for the 14-0 Hornets.
Some adventures in life have a knack for being more enjoyable because of the people by your side. A father-son bond along that path is one worth treasuring. A coach-player bond can be as well.
Getting them both at once is a moment worth savoring long after a whistle and shoulder pads are hung up for the last time.
That’s why, as Kirtland embarks on its sixth state football final run in seven years this fall, John and Ryan Lipps are so cognizant of how special they have it.
John Lipps is an assistant on Tiger LaVerde’s staff, and Ryan Lipps is a versatile senior for the 14-0 Hornets. The younger Lipps has 365 yards from scrimmage and six touchdowns on the season, including a 20-yard touchdown reception Nov. 24 in a 44-0 Division VI state semifinal rout of Nelsonville-York.
“It’s definitely sweet with him being there, because not all kids that catch a touchdown have their dad standing on the sideline,” Ryan said Nov. 27 as Kirtland logged an afternoon practice at home as it prepares for the D-VI state final Dec. 2 against Maria Stein Marion Local.
“With him there, I think it makes it a little more special.”
John’s and Ryan’s journey in the sport has been interwoven for a decade now.
When Ryan played youth football for the Lake Erie Storm in Painesville, John was there offering input when asked by Storm coaches. When John was the coach at Fairport from 2006 to 2011, Ryan was a regular at practices and served as a Skippers ballboy.
“It was really nice having him around as the ballboy growing up,” John said. “And being where we’re at right now — 29 years of coaching football, telling me I’m coaching my kid in a state title football game, it is a father’s dream come true and a coach’s dream to be in a state final as well.
“Our family has been around football since — forever. You go back and think about it, it’s just the way it is.”
Ryan remembers his time as a ballboy fondly.
“That’s a while ago,” Ryan said with a smile. “Biggest memories were probably I got a lot of experience. I think I matured more because I was with the older guys a lot. They really helped me out, too.
“I’d always run some drills with them that I could and played the games that they played and all of that fun stuff.”
After John resigned as Fairport coach following the 2011 season, he spent a year away from coaching before a friendly nudge from his wife, Marci.
“My wife actually got sick of me sitting at home that first year, and she said, ‘You need to get out of the house. You better do something,’ ” John said. “So that’s a big
part of why I got back out onto the field and coaching again. I don’t regret any minute of it. It’s been a lot of fun.
“I had a year off and then Coach LaVerde had an opening here. I approached him and he said, ‘Yeah, it would be a great idea. Let’s get you on staff.’ ”
Four of those years have now been with Ryan as one of the players John gets to mentor daily.
John said there were three options for Ryan once he reached sixth grade. The family resides in Fairport Harbor, John is a maintenance supervisor at Kirtland and Marci is an intervention specialist at Longfellow Elementary in Willoughby-Eastlake.
“It was pretty tough, because I love Fairport,” Ryan said. “I have a lot of family there and a lot of friends. I love that school, but I just made the decision to come to Kirtland. It’s been a good start, and they’ve been doing good with him coaching, too. I couldn’t miss that opportunity.”
Since 2012, when John joined LaVerde’s staff, the Hornets have gone 82-5 with state titles in 2013 and 2015. Over the course of Ryan’s career, Kirtland is 53-4
with three state final appearances. That journey includes one more game with the father-son and coachplayer bond on full display.
“I just wish the best for him, and I hope he takes this in stride,” John said. “These are some memories that we’re always going to have as a father and son. And he can pass it along to his children and grandchildren saying, ‘Hey, my father coached me in a state title game.’
“And win or lose, we still were there together. Maybe that will happen down the road. Maybe he’ll get into coaching. You never know.”