Caouette steps down after three years at Avon

Avon High coach Jim Caouette and the Falcons celebrate after winning the Valley Gridiron Classic with a 55-26 win over SImsbury. It was his final game as head coach in Avon.

AVON – After three seasons, Avon High football coach Jim Caouette has resigned.

Caouette resigned last week because of commitments with his new, full time job. Caouette, who was laid off from his previous full time earlier this fall, was recently hired to be a talent evaluator by CHA, a civil engineering firm in Rocky Hill.

He had hoped to continue coaching at Avon but CHA presented him with a new opportunity that includes some frequent travel.

Tim Filon, Avon’s interim athletic director, said that the school will post the position soon. Filon said a committee that includes himself, another school administrator, a parent and coach in the school will likely be set up. No timetable has been set yet.

Caouette just couldn’t commit to be being there all of the time. “I’ve never been late to a practice in 24 years,” he said. “I didn’t want to put the kids at a competitive disadvantage.”

This will be an adjustment for Caouette, who was an assistant coach for 22 years before being hired by Avon before the 2013 season. He has never been shy about expressing his emotions and his excitement for the position and the game.

It was common to see Caouette celebrate with a fist pump and a leap in the air on the sideline when the Falcons would score a touchdown to be followed by some hand slapping celebration with the players as they came off the field. His energy was infectious.

“I’m very thankful for the opportunity that Avon gave me,” he said. “I was the second choice a number of times (interviewing for the head coaching job). Avon and (former athletic director) Newell (Porch) gave me my shot to be a head coach and I will be forever grateful to them.”

“The hardest thing is to walk away from these players and this program,” he said. “I will miss not being there for them.”

Avon High coach Jim Caouette gets a celebratory bath after Avon beat Berlin in October for the first time since 1983 by a 21-14 score.

Caouette went 23-9 in three years with Avon, falling one win shy of earning a berth in the CIAC Class L playoffs in 2013 and 2015. Avon moved to the Central Connecticut Conference last fall and went 8-2 and captured the CCC Division III Eastern Division championship, beating Berlin for the first time since 1983 to win the pennant.

The Falcons also beat Simsbury for the first time since 1968 in the season-ending Valley Gridiron Classic, 55-26.

“We’re proud of what we were able to accomplish,” he said. “The program wasn’t broken (under former coach Brett Quinion). We were able to continue to build on that success. Academically, we didn’t lose any kids to academics and we had some All-State players, some of the top players in the state. We have the program going in the right direction.”

Jim Caouette instructs the Falcons during a timeout in a 2013 game at Muzzy Field against Lewis Mills.

There were plenty of thrilling games. In 2013, Canton beat the Falcons for the first time ever with a six-yard touchdown run as time expired for a 16-13 win. A few weeks later, Avon erased a 14-point deficit and scored two touchdowns in the final 1:42 to beat North Branford, 41-38. Avon cut the lead to five with a touchdown with 54 seconds left. After a successful onside kick, Avon won with a 26-yard touchdown pass with 11.4 seconds remaining.

Against Gilbert/Northwestern, Avon nearly erased a 22-point deficit. Avon scored the final 21 points of the game cut the lead to one, 34-33 with no time left. He turned to his players and asked them what they wanted to do. They went for the two-point conversion and the win. The conversion pass was intercepted and the Yellowjackets held on for the win.

In 2014, a playoff berth and the Pequot Uncas Division title came down one game against Canton in November. Twice, Avon had seven-point leads but Canton came back each time. They prevailed in overtime, 27-21. The Falcons gave eventual Class S Small state champion Valley Regional/Old Lyme one of its stiffest challenges of the year in a 17-9 loss. Avon had the ball inside the 10-yard-line twice but lost the ball on turnovers. They went 7-4 on the year.

Last fall, the Falcons closed out the season with five straight wins including a 21-14 win over Berlin, a 28-0 victory over Northwest Catholic, wins over Rockville and Plainville and the season-ending victory over Simsbury.

“Those are some good memories,” he said. “That is what high school football is all about. I’ll miss those moments.”

Avon High football coach Jim Caouette in preseason workouts in 2014.

Six of his former players are playing college ball – Jimmy Murphy (Wagner), Ryan Rogers (Mullenberg), John Burick (Bucknell), Stephen Griffin (Bowdoin), Harrison Gill (Dickinson) and Justin Reichler (Western Connecticut State). Current senior Geoff Kirk hopes to play with Army in the future as does Teddy Allemendinger at UConn.

Caouette lives in Wolcott with his wife and their four children. He was an assistant coach at Western Connecticut State, Woodland Regional, Wolcott High, Cheshire and Wilby High in Waterbury before coming to Avon.

Avon High coach Jim Caouette celebrates with some of his children following the big win over Berlin in October.

2013: 8-3, 4-2 Pequot West
2014: 7-4, 7-2 Pequot Uncas
2015: 8-2, 5-0 CCC Div. 3 East champions