With a heavy heart, we share the passing of Nick Restifo Hon. '19. A beloved Spanish teacher and longtime football coach, Nick’s impact on the Saint Ignatius community, both in the classroom and on the field, will be remembered forever.
Coach Restifo began teaching at Saint Ignatius High School in the fall of 1981. In 1983, the Head Football Coach position was open for the Wildcats after Al Gizzi stepped away. When legendary coach Chuck Kyle ’69 earned the head coaching job, he immediately left the president's office and walked up two floors to meet with Restifo. He asked coach Restifo if he would be his offensive coordinator, immediately Restifo accepted, becoming the football program's first offensive coordinator in its storied history.
It was the perfect blend for the football program, as Restifo was a master of the passing game, and Chico controlled the run game. Restifo was the right-hand man to coach Kyle, running a pro-style offense that was new to the high school level in the 1980s and early 1990s.
As Offensive Coordinator, coach Restifo helped guide the Wildcats to 11 OHSAA Division I State Championships and four National Championships, including a staggering five-straight title run from 1991 to 1995.
Under his coaching, Restifo has guided multiple Wildcat quarterbacks to go on to the collegiate and NFL levels. Brian Hoyer ’04 credits Restifo with mentoring him to make it to the NFL. Restifo consistently got the most out of his talented athletes.
Restifo first retired from coaching after the 2020 football season, finishing with a career record of 361-99-1 as the offensive coordinator. He remained significantly involved within the athletic department and continued teaching Spanish. In 2023, Restifo returned to coaching as the JV Golf coach and returned to the football program in 2024, mentoring the freshman quarterbacks.
In his final game as a coach on October 19, coach Restifo led the freshman Wildcats to a 34-0 victory over St. Xavier. His final offensive play call would go for a touchdown.
Coach Restifo’s impact on our community, both in the classroom and on the field, will live on. His passion, dedication, and mentorship touched countless lives for 44 years at Saint Ignatius High School.
The wake will occur on Thursday, October 24 at St. Mary of the Assumption Chapel at Saint Ignatius High School. General public visitation hours will be from 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Nick's funeral mass will take place on Friday, October 25 at Holy Rosary Church on Mayfield Road. The funeral service will begin at 10 a.m. and folks are encouraged to view the live stream due to the amount of expected attendees and to respect his family.
Immediately following the funeral on friday will be Nick's burial which will occur at All Souls Cemetery in Chardon.
Our deepest condolences and prayers are with the Restifo family at this time.