Jules Yakapovich

Coach of No. 1 Ranked Ken West Gridders

Jules Yakapovich was one of WNY’s premier high school varsity football coaches for 26 years at Kenmore West High School. After three seasons as an assistant coach at Kenmore West he took over as head man in 1950 and would go on to an extremely successful career (127-76-5 record).

He led the Blue Devils to the Niagara Frontier League title on four occasions (1953, 1967, 1968, 1969) and that magical run in the late 60’s which culminated in his Kenmore West team being named No. 1 in New York State in 1969, and as the mythical high school national champion by a Chicago publication.

A 1944 graduate of Colgate University, he had a stellar career with the Red Raiders and was drafted by the NFL’s Detroit Lions. After a short pro career he turned to teaching and coaching in 1947 and spent the next 29 years at Kenmore West where he gained national recognition as the developer of the “Radar Defense” (he would later publish a book entitled “The Radar Defense for Winning Football”).

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