Ted Kimmey enters his third season as the head coach at Cocoa Beach
Space Coast Daily’s Zane Garcia speaks with Minutemen head coach Ted Kimmey, offensive coordinator Eric Wright, and athlete Kaden Ford about last season and the upcoming 2026 football season. Cocoa Beach headed into the 2025 season with some momentum after a competitive 2024 season, but it did not go as planned. (Francie Davis Coe Image)
BREVARD COUNTY • COCOA BEACH, FLORIDA – After a disappointing 2025 campaign, the Cocoa Beach Minutemen are focused on turning lessons learned into victories as they prepare for the 2026 high school football season.
Space Coast Daily’s Zane Garcia sat down with Cocoa Beach head coach Ted Kimmey, offensive coordinator Eric Wright, and standout athlete Kaden Ford to discuss the team’s progress, the challenges of last season, and the optimism surrounding the Minutemen program heading into the fall.
Kimmey enters his third season leading Cocoa Beach with confidence that the foundation being built will eventually translate into on-field success, despite the team’s 2-8 finish in 2025.
The record was a frustrating outcome for a program that entered last season with considerable optimism.
The Minutemen believed they were poised to take a significant step forward after a competitive 2024 season in which they narrowly missed finishing with a winning record.
Cocoa Beach head coach Ted Kimmey enters his third season leading the Minutemen.
That year, Cocoa Beach lost five of its six defeats by one possession, giving coaches and players confidence that they were close to breaking through.
Instead, injuries, inexperience, and missed opportunities contributed to a difficult 2025 campaign. Even so, Kimmey said the team’s record did not fully reflect the progress being made within the program.
The Minutemen have not posted a winning season since 2022, but the coaching staff believes the current roster is laying the groundwork to reverse that trend.
One of the brightest spots from last season was the emergence of Kaden Ford, who quickly became one of the team’s top playmakers after joining the program.
Ford led the receiving corps with 26 receptions for 513 yards and four touchdowns, consistently providing the offense with a reliable deep-threat target. His versatility also made him a key contributor on defense, where he recorded 25 tackles and intercepted two passes while playing defensive back.
His ability to impact the game on both sides of the ball gives Cocoa Beach an experienced leader returning for the 2026 season.
Kimmey and offensive coordinator Eric Wright also pointed to the program’s growing group of underclassmen as another reason for optimism.
While youth contributed to some growing pains in 2025, the coaching staff believes those players gained valuable experience that will pay dividends this fall.
With another offseason of development, increased familiarity within the system, and returning playmakers like Ford, the Minutemen hope to take a significant step forward and compete for a winning record.
