Original Godinez coach Aron Kaye returning to lead Grizzlies football program

Aron Kaye returns to Godinez after being an assistant at University High. (File photo: Courtesy Harrison Zhang, For OC Sports Zone)

After assistant coaching stints at Irvine and University, Aron Kaye is returning to Godinez High School as head football coach, Godinez Athletic Director Lisa Treen said Monday.

Kaye was the first Godinez head football coach, leading the Grizzlies for eight seasons. He guided the program to three CIF playoff appearances before being replaced after the 2014 season. He has remained as a full-time teacher at Godinez. He teaches Modern World History and Advanced Placement European History.

“Just super excited to be coming home,” Kaye said Monday. “I can’t wait to meet the team and get to work. This program has always had a special place in my heart and it has gone through a rough patch lately. The opportunity came up this year and we jumped at the chance to hopefully get it back to where we were.”

Kaye said he has goals for the program in his second stint.

“As we did before, we will run a student-centered program where our number one goal is to help build outstanding student-athletes who excel in the classroom and on the field,” Kaye said. “We will emphasis character, hard work and having fun.

Godinez has been without a head coach since Matthew Watts resigned, according to Treen. The Grizzlies did not field a team during the abbreviated spring season.

After leaving the Godinez football program, Kaye spent four years as co-defensive cooordinator and offensive line coach at Irvine. He spent the last two years as defensive coordinator at University High under head coach Chris Hernandez, who announced he is resigning and moving with his family to South Dakota.

“He’s (Kaye) been a great help,” Hernandez said in a 2019 interview with OC Sports Zone. “He’s been able to give me a lot of guidance and wisdom on how to do things. Also, he’s been at programs that started from the ground up like Godinez and that’s my approach going in anyway. The nice thing is that I trust him and he has great recommendations from other people.

“My hope is that he will be with us for a few years and be a head coach again somewhere.”

Kaye has coached high school football for 35 years and is a career-long member of the Southern California Football Coaches Association, Godinez officials noted. He is also a long-time member of the American Football Coaches Association.

—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com