Chandler Hovik leaving Central to lead alma mater Cesar Chavez football program

Chandler Hovik was asked why he would leave one Phoenix Union High School District school for another in the same district.

It's because Laveen Cesar Chavez is home.

Hovik said that he is leaving Phoenix Central to lead his alma mater, where he graduated in 2012 and was coached by the legendary Jim Rattay. Hovik played quarterback for Rattay. He tearfully addressed his Central players late Friday afternoon to let them know he is leaving.

Chavez Principal Robert Grant sent a school release to The Republic on the hiring of Hovik, who played for Jim Rattay in 2010 and '11 and eventually assisted Rattay at the school.

"Fostering the academic and personal growth of student-athletes is one of Coach Hovik's strengths as evidenced by the successful transition of many students under his guidance into college-level football," Grant said in the release.

Hovik built the Bobcats up in the last couple of years after COVID rocked the PXU teams that ended up resulting in mass departures from Cesar Chavez after the 2020 season that featured a three-game PXU season.

This season, the Bobcats just missed out on a 5A playoff appearance, losing their final game to Phoenix Camelback and finishing 7-3. Last year, Central lost to Desert Edge in the first round of the 5A playoffs.

"Chavez is home, that's the biggest thing, as a player there, and that's where I started my coaching career," Hovik said. "That's my alma mater."

Hovik inherits a mess.

On July 18, 15-year-old football player Christopher Hampton was found dead in Show Low Lake, while the Chavez football team was at summer camp. That led to head coach William Chipley and Athletic Director Lenny Doerfler being placed on administrative leave during a police and district investigation. Both ultimately resigned. It also led to a $50 million lawsuit filed on behalf of Hampton's mother in August.

Chavez went 3-7 under interim coach William Burwell Jr., who replaced Chipley just before the season began in August.

"It's going to be extremely tough," Hovik said. "I'm not going into the old Chavez. It's going to be the rebuild, and get it back the right way."

Hovik feels the school has been cursed. It's time to end that.

"It seems like there's been a curse there for a while," Hovik said. "They had a really good team, and then COVID hit. Then the death of Chris. Now it's time to restore the discipline, restore everything that Chavez stands on, that unique grit and toughness. That community means everything to me. That's why I'm going back."

Hovik said his main priority will be keep the kids in Laveen. He said with he and his staff having strong ties to the south Phoenix community and Laveen, they'll be able to do that.

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"Every kid who is supposed to be going to Chavez will be going to Chavez now," Hovik said. "They're not going to be getting plucked by Mountain Pointe and all of them. We're going to keep the best kids in south Phoenix. And we're going to eventually see what Cesar Chavez can really be."

Hovik said it also is enticing to coach at the 6A level with Chavez, which has about 2,800 kids.

Often during his head coaching career at Central, Hovik reached out to his mentor, Rattay, who could be either an advisor or assistant for Hovik at Chavez.

"Out of the gate we're not going to promise we're going to win a playoff game in the first year," Hovik said. "It's going to be years in the making. It's going to be a long-term deal that I'm extremely excited about. When all things are smoothed and things are laid over, we're going to be coming for it all.

"That starts with a region championships, conference championships, state championships. If we keep everybody home, we're going to have a shot at it. But it's not going to happen overnight."

To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert atrichard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter:@azc_obert

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Chandler Hovik leaving Central to lead Cesar Chavez football