The Kinney Bros helping the Bears win on the football field.

In High School football, it’s not unusual to have a father and son coaching and playing for the same team.  The North Royalton Bears have something a bit unusual this season familywise.  The Kinney Brothers.  Coach Joe Kinney is on the sidelines and junior Anthony Kinney is playing in both the offensive and defensive backfields.

Joe Kinney graduated from North Royalton High School back in 2025.  He threw for over 4,000 yards in his three years on the varsity and completed 47 touchdown passes.  This past off season, head coach Judd Lutz named Joe Kinney as an assistant coach on offense.

I asked Joe what it’s like coaching his brother.  “He makes it really easy.  He’s a hard worker.  Anthony is one of the first guys out here, working the hardest.  It’s a blast every day to coach him.  I get to see him every day, help him out even more than I can help out other players.  And we get to watch a lot of film together.”

Anthony feels that he has an advantage in having his brother as his coach, whether it’s in the locker room or across the kitchen table.

“No doubt.  Any questions that I have I can ask straight at home or watching film, whatever it is.  And there is a connection there that I don’t have with other coaches.  But all of the coaches have my respect,” said Anthony.

Before the regular season started, the Kinney’s would ride together to Serpentini  Stadium at 6 am for double sessions, be together all day, then go home together and talk about football all night.  “That’s my favorite,” said Anthony.

When Joe Kinney suited up for the Bears, being a coach was probably the farthest thing from his mind.  After graduation, Joe stepped away from the game for a bit.  “I missed the game (football) so much.  I definitely wanted to be a part of it in any way that I could.  And coaching was the only was that I could.”

What about coaching for the Bears?  “When I saw the job open up here,” said Joe “I knew it would be a good opportunity to help out the community and stuff like that.  Just to be there to give back to those who helped me out when I was playing.  To be back in this community, I love it.”

Fans of the Bears better get used to hearing the Kinney name around the football team for a while.  “I always knew it would be like that (coaching family members).  I still have younger brothers, younger than Anthony, so I am going to be coaching them for a while.  I knew that would be the situation even before I applied” said Coach Kinney.

Anthony has made his mark on the North Royalton varsity team already this year.  In the Bears 49-42 victory over North Ridgeville, Anthony intercepted a pass in the final two minutes of the game.  That set-up the game-winning touchdown run by quarterback Doug Piper from the North Ridgeville 40-yard line.

I asked Coach Joe if he shows any favoritism towards Anthony.  “I look at him as just another player.  I never have to show favoritism because he works so hard.”

Anthony believes this could be a special season for the Bears.  “We have an explosive defense and an explosive offense.  And we are ready for conference play.”

It already is a special season.  Brother coaching brother.