Longtime Ellet football coach Joe Yost has died at the age of 73.
For nearly four decades, Yost was a fixture on the sidelines at Ellet. He took over as head coach in 1979 and spent 38 seasons leading the Orangemen, finishing his career with a 234-152-2 record. His 234 victories remain the most ever by an Akron Public Schools football coach.
During Yost’s tenure, Ellet had 23 winning seasons, eight City Series championships and two state playoff appearances.
One of the most memorable moments came in 1989, when Ellet defeated Buchtel 7-6 on a snow-covered field at the Rubber Bowl for the school’s only Turkey Day victory.
But Yost often credited the people around him for the program’s success. He built a remarkably consistent coaching staff and once described that group as more than just coaches, they were a family.
His accomplishments earned him spots in the Summit County Sports Hall of Fame, Ohio High School Coaches Hall of Fame and, most recently, the Akron Public Schools Athletics Hall of Fame in 2024.
At that induction, Yost talked about just how much he loved coaching, saying he never really considered it work.
For generations of Ellet players and families, Joe Yost was more than the man calling plays on Friday nights. He was part of the identity of Ellet football for nearly 40 years.
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