Trinity League Has Third Football Coaching Change; Servite's Chris Reinert Steps Down

Servite's Chris Reinert announced he's stepping down as football coach Tuesday in a surprising move that makes a third coaching change in the Trinity League.

Servite football coach Chris Reinert stepped down Tuesday after three seasons at the helm. It's the third Trinity League school to make a change after the 2025 season. / Karlie Carlson/Servite Athletic Director

It's been a wonky off-season, especially in the Trinity League — known as the best high school football league in the country.

It's not transfers. It's not scandal. It's coaching changes, and two just came in the same week. Orange Lutheran's Rod Sherman was let go Monday. Servite's Chris Reinert announced he's stepping down Tuesday.

JSerra was the first to make a change at head coach, letting go of Victor Santa Cruz in November before hiring former NFL vet Hardy Nickerson. The holidays came and went — and so did January — then two more moves were made in February at Orange Lutheran and Servite.

It's three coaching changes in the Trinity League in the same off-season. Bizzare.

Is there anything else someone wants to tell us?

As of now, St. John Bosco's Jason Negro, Mater Dei's Raul Lara and Santa Margarita's Carson Palmer are safe.

REINERT STEPS DOWN AFTER THREE SEASONS

The move was a head scratcher after Reinert took Servite from a 1-9 team in 2022 to 8-6 in year one, 6-5 in year two, and 6-5 again this past fall. His best year in the Trinity League was in 2025, going 2-3.

Reinert was 20-16 overall and led the Friars to a CIF Southern Section Division 2 final in 2023.

"It has been an honor and the privilege of a lifetime to serve as the Head Football Coach of my alma mater. Servite High School is a uniquely special place because of the authentic relationships and bonds forged. I am grateful for the opportunity to have led such tremendous young men on their journey to becoming faith-filled leaders while simultaneously developing as football players. I will remember fondly the way we served our players, teaching life lessons and helping them compete on the gridiron. I am proud of the progress that we have made in the Servite football program, and I believe the future is very bright," Reinert's message read in the school's press release.

NEW LOOK TRINITY LEAGUE?

It will be interesting to follow a coaching search in February, but don't be surprised to see some familier names rumored for these jobs.

Frank McManus, Austin Pettis, Troy Thomas, and even Rod Sherman's name for the Servite job, have surfaced.

Only time will tell ...

feed

---

Bookmark High School on SI for all of the latest high school sports news.

To get live updates on your phone — as well as follow your favorite teams and top games — you can download the SBLive Sports app: 

Download iPhone App | Download Android App