Former Riverview coach, teacher, athletic director Cappa set example for sons
High school football fans knew Jake Cappa best as a successful coach who has been inducted into several halls of fame and whose teams were regulars in the WPIAL playoffs.
But to family, close friends, students and colleagues, Cappa was a husband, father and a caring educator.
Cappa died Monday morning following an eight-month battle against liver cancer. He was 68.
Born Aug. 2, 1945, in Connellsville, Cappa graduated from Connellsville High School and Salem College in West Virginia before coming to the former Verona High School.
He was a head football coach for 18 seasons, Riverview's athletic director for 32 years and a health and physical education teacher for more than 35 years.
Three of Cappa's sons — John and twins Jason and Jeff — played for their father and are currently involved in education and coaching.
“My brothers and I have followed in his footsteps,” said Jeff Cappa, head football coach and guidance counselor at Wissahickon High School in the Philadelphia suburb of Ambler.
“Never once did he bring (football) practice home with him,” Jason Cappa said. “We never saw him as a coach or phys ed and health teacher; he was our dad.”
Jason Cappa is the newly-appointed head coach at Riverview.
John Cappa was head coach for a time at Shady Side Academy in Fox Chapel and remains an assistant there.
Jake Cappa is survived by his wife of 48 years, Lois, and five grandchildren.
His eldest son, Jacob Jr., died earlier this year. Jacob suffered from spina bifida, but was an avid and knowledgeable sports fan. In fact, when his father was a voter in Trib Total Media's former Coaches Poll, Cappa had Jacob fill out his weekly ballot.
Because of his success, Jake Cappa fielded offers from other high schools, but always decided to stay at Riverview.
“He never considered going anywhere else,” Jeff Cappa said. “Lots of schools were after him, but he wanted to stay here and make his community and school district a better place to live.”
Charles Erdeljac, retired Riverview superintendent whose tenure nearly paralleled Cappa's stints as coach and athletic director, knew other schools were after Cappa's services.
“Jake said to me, ‘I bleed Riverview black and gold,'” Erdeljac said. “He was a football coach, but he treated all sports with equal vigor. He'd take care of every administrative detail.”
Cappa coached Verona in its final two seasons of existence in 1969 and ‘70, leading the Panthers to the old AIC Bowl. He guided the Riverview program from 1986 to 2001.
Of the 18 teams he coached, 11 made it to postseason play. He finished with an all-time record of 129-59-6.
The 1997 Riverview team won the WPIAL Class A title at Three Rivers Stadium over Fort Cherry, 19-14. The Raiders also played in the WPIAL finals in 1994 and ‘96.
“The biggest thing I tell people all the time is that he's from the old school when everyone wasn't so sensitive,” said Justin Dudczak, quarterback of the 1997 champs. “It didn't matter if we were working in August or in the playoffs in November, we'd keep going over the fundamental things. I've implemented that in my classroom.”
Dudczak is a teacher at Sunnyside Elementary in Pittsburgh's Stanton Heights.
Riverview was struggling somewhat in 1997, needing a win against Clairton and Greensburg Central Catholic just to make the playoffs.
The Raiders defeated Clairton, but faced a must-win situation at Greensburg Central.
“They were getting ready to play the first night game ever at Greensburg Central,” Dudczak recalled. “We had a great Thursday practice and Coach Cappa told us if we won that game, we would go on to win the WPIAL title. He was like Babe Ruth, calling his own shot.”
Cappa was inducted into the Alle-Kiski Sports Hall of Fame in 2001; the East Boros Sports Hall of Fame in 2006; and the Pennsylvania Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2013.
Friends will be received at the Burkett-Truby Funeral Home in Oakmont from 3 to 8 p.m. on Thursday. Funeral Mass will be at 11:30 a.m. on Friday at St. Irenaeus Church in Oakmont.
George Guido is a freelance writer for Trib Total Media.
