coached the Austin football team in 1917, while athletic director. He resigned in 1918 to become football coach at Kemper Military School. Clingenpeel also became the coach of the basketball team there, and was for a time their athletic director. In his first year as basketball coach, he turned out an "exceptional" team which won the conference championship in a "romp." Clingenpeel also led the football team to within a half-game of the championship in 1919. The next year, they posted one of the best high school seasons ever in that section of the country, according to The Kansas City Star. The Kemper team, although from a high school, played against colleges in Kansas and Missouri and was able to tie several of them. Clingenpeel continued serving at Kemper until 1925, when he returned to his alma mater, Central College. One source said that his record at Kemper "is one that will long be noted." He became athletic director, football coach, track and field coach, and basketball coach at Central. Upon becoming football coach, he announced that "We will win one game this year." He was correct in his prediction, but had a "very successful" year otherwise, leading an inexperienced basketball team to the conference runner-up position, and producing a top track team. Clingenpeel declared that in his second season as football coach they would win more games. He was again correct, and turned out a team that was among the best in school history, winning the championship, their first in 15 years, despite being outweighed by all their inter-conference opponents. The 1926 Ragout, Central's yearbook, described him as follows: "'Cling' is a shrewd coach, and has his heart and soul in his work. He instills into the veins of his teams that old 'never-give-up' spirit which is so prevalent in an Eagle team. 'Cling' has won a place in the hearts of all his men and also in the hearts of Eagle followers." Another edition discussed him as, "A maker of Champions and Leaders. A master strategist, a splendid athlete, and a gentleman–our coach." Clingenpeel led both the football and basketball teams to the conference championships in 1928. In the 1930 season, he helped the football team compile a 9–0 mark and win the conference championship, the first unbeaten, untied team in school history. He also led the basketball team to a championship, and became coach of the baseball