Nick Klutka had a highly successful career as both an athlete and a coach.
Although he was a star end in football, he was also good enough to
earn three letters in basketball at New Brighton High School, where
he graduated in 1939. Nick earned All Section honors in basketball
for the Lions, but football was his best sport, earning four grid
letters at New Brighton and receiving All WPIAL and All State honors.
After high school, Nick played end on the University of Florida
football teams of 1939 to 1942, being named to the All South team
three times and received All American honorable mention twice. Then
he played for the Second Air Force Bomber Command football team at
Bridgeton High School in New Jersey. For more than 28 years, Nick was a teacher at Van Wert High School in Ohio. He started as a
freshman football coach at Van Wert High in 1953 and his team
compiled a 6-0 record. The next year he became assistant varsity
coach for the strong Van Wert teams that went undefeated for five
years and rolled up a string of 48 straight wins. Nick retired from
coaching in 1962.
Nick Klutka had a highly successful career as both an athlete and a coach.
Although he was a star end in football, he was also good enough to
earn three letters in basketball at New Brighton High School, where
he graduated in 1939. Nick earned All Section honors in basketball
for the Lions, but football was his best sport, earning four grid
letters at New Brighton and receiving All WPIAL and All State honors.
After high school, Nick played end on the University of Florida
football teams of 1939 to 1942, being named to the All South team
three times and received All American honorable mention twice. Then
he played for the Second Air Force Bomber Command football team at
Bridgeton High School in New Jersey. For more than 28 years, Nick was a teacher at Van Wert High School in Ohio. He started as a
freshman football coach at Van Wert High in 1953 and his team
compiled a 6-0 record. The next year he became assistant varsity
coach for the strong Van Wert teams that went undefeated for five
years and rolled up a string of 48 straight wins. Nick retired from
coaching in 1962.