No one wants to be the last player to get to the field when the new coach begins to yell. The pounding of shoes against turf and concrete. The rushing of football players as the whistle blows, quickening their steps.
“You better hurry up boy,” one of the coaches yells as a young man sprints past and onto the field.
Klein got its new Athletic Director and Head Football Coach Nick Codutti Monday February 3. Codutti replaced former Head Coach Shane Hallmark, who announced his retirement in November.
Coming from Fulshear High School after working in the Lamar Consolidated Independent School District for 4 years Codutti joins the blue and gold Bearkat family. He hopes to take athletics to the next level as he looks into the future.
“My goals are to come in to evaluate and to kind of streamline things.” Codutti said, “We’re going to work a little harder. We’re going to hit a little harder. We’re going to last a little longer. And I don’t care who we’re playing, where we’re playing, ain’t nobody going to scare us… We’re going to do it our way, our way, because I promise you, people are going to talk about this school like they used to. That is our goal. Take pride in who we are.”
Codutti had an impressive track record at Fulshear in football, ending the 2024 football season as the No. 41 team in Texas and the top team in rushing. This brings hope to the Klein football team who were ranked 132 in the state according to On3’s 2024 Texas High School Football Composite Rankings. A winning coach for a future winning team.
“I love Coach Hallmark, but I’m excited to see this shift in Klein sports,” sophomore Kenneth James said. “Based on his past at Fulsher I hope he will bring a winning atmosphere to us. I am extremely pumped to be a part of this new chapter of Klein sports. Pushing myself to improve and impress the new coach.”
Having worked at both Tomball and Fulshear High School, coming to Klein brings feelings of excitement to Codutti and his family.
“This is something I need to do for myself, for my family. I just feel this is where I want to be. I want to be back on that north side of Houston,” he said. “I want to be in an environment where everything feels like a family… In my mind, I’ve always known that Klein was a place that’s really special. It was like this place was heaven on earth and at the end of the day, the reality was, there’s something special about this place.”
Codutti said he wants to be sure everyone understands Klein High is unique and should stand above the rest.
“There’s something about Klein pride that needs to be brought to the top right at the end of the day, we as educators, as coaches, as parents, as kids, we get to tell our story.” Codutti said, “There’s only one Klein. And I want people to realize, and remember, there’s Oak, there’s Forest, there’s Collins, there’s Cain, but there’s only one Klein. We’re the original.”
