Mike Kolakowski retires after two seasons as Tocoi Creek's first head football coach
Tocoi Creek will have a new head coach as it prepares for its third season of varsity football.
Mike Kolakowski has decided to retire from the coaching profession, he told the St. Augustine Record on Tuesday evening. A longtime college assistant, Kolakowski guided the Toros to nine wins in their first 19 games, including the school's first winning season (6-4) in 2022.
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"I felt like Coach K has definitely got our infant program off the ground and ready to go for the future," Tocoi Creek athletic director Jeff Holland said in a phone interview. "It's definitely on the map. I look forward to watching our football program and entire athletic department grow."
Tocoi held a grip on a playoff spot until the final week of the regular season, losing its finale 47-17 at home to Nease. The Toros averaged 213.7 yards of total offense and 27.5 points per game, and defeated nearby rivals Beachside, Matanzas and Menendez.
Kolakowski, 67, entered the college coaching ranks in 1980. He had a four-year stint as head coach at California (Pa.) from 1997-2001, and he's been an assistant at eight current Division I universities: Cornell, Morehead State, William & Mary, Maine, Ohio, Cincinnati, Youngstown State and Mercer.
Prior to accepting the position at Tocoi, Kolakowski spent two seasons as the defensive coordinator at Findlay University, an NCAA Division II program in Ohio.
Tocoi Creek becomes the fifth school across Volusia, Flagler and St. Johns counties to seek a new football coach since the conclusion of the 2022 season.
Menendez hired former Oakleaf defensive coordinator Ben White to replace Matt Potak, Bartram Trail made just its second hire ever as Cory Johns succeeded Darrell Sutherland and University promoted offensive coordinator Justin Roberts immediately upon Brian Kells' decision to step down. Jeff Smothers resigned as Deltona's head coach Monday following three seasons in charge.
Holland intends to make a hire before the start of spring football. The first allowable date for non-contact practices, according to the Florida High School Athletic Association's website, is May 1.
"The word has just started to get out today," Holland said. "The job is posted, and we will do our best to fill that position by the start of spring. That is key; it's a springboard for next year."
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: High school football: Tocoi Creek football coach Kolakowski retires
