(Flagler County, Fla.) – Flagler Schools is proud to announce the appointment of Dennis Kitko as the new head wrestling coach at Matanzas High School. With an illustrious career spanning four decades, the Sunshine State native brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of success, both as a wrestler and a coach.
With a career built on teaching and coaching student-athletes, Kitko is enthusiastic about leading Matanzas High School’s wrestling program. He also has a focus on building upon the existing success of the girls’ division, as well as establishing a formidable boys’ division.
“Building upon the longstanding success and tradition of this program is a challenge I’m looking forward to,” Kitko said. “Success on the mats, in the classroom and in our community will be key to help us focus on the development of character and integrity among our boy’s and girl’s rosters.”
Knowing the hurdles a student-athlete faces is all too familiar with Kitko. The new MHS coach’s wrestling journey began 40 years ago at HIllsborough County’s Brandon High School Wrestling Club. At the age of 12, Kitko captured the first of his five national championships in Freestyle wrestling. During his high school years at Brandon High School, Kitko distinguished himself as a three-time state champion with an impressive 96-1 record, a cadet national champion and was named and competed as a wrestler for the US national team.
Continuing his wrestling career at Cornell University, Kitko served as co-captain in his junior year and achieved a national ranking as high as number three. He also qualified for and competed in the NCAA National Tournament as a collegiate student-athlete.
Matanzas High School Athletic Director Jordan Butler expressed his confidence in Kitko’s appointment. “Coach Kitko’s experience in building successful programs based on character and integrity, along with his focus on developing student leaders, will be essential in establishing Matanzas Wrestling as one of the most elite programs in the state,” Butler said.
Kitko first donned the coaching whistle while pursuing degrees in health and physical education and a master’s in educational leadership in Tallahassee. Making significant impacts at Leon High School and Godby High School, Kitko’s teams achieved multiple state placements. His decade-long tenure at Greater Tampa’s Durant High School saw the team secure three regional championships, eight district championships and a sixth-place finish in the state. Notably, his teams won four all-academic team awards, reflecting his commitment to academic excellence.
In addition to high school coaching, Kitko has contributed to the sport on a national level, coaching the USA cadet national freestyle team. His final high school coaching position at Bloomingdale High School resulted in three all-academic team awards and three district titles.
Most recently living overseas in Japan, Kitko served as a youth sports coordinator at MCAS Iwakuni Military Installation and taught at Camp Zama in Tokyo.
A proud father of four, Kitko is currently in the relocation process and will be on campus by August 12 for the first day of the new school year.
