Born in
Thessaloniki, Kavakas began playing football as a defender for local side
Apollon Kalamarias F.C. in the Beta Ethniki. In 1996, he signed with
Kavala F.C., where he would make 43
Alpha Ethniki appearances in three seasons with the club. Kavakas spent the remainder of his playing career in the Greek second and third divisions, playing for
Leonidio F.C.,
Patraikos F.C. and
Veria F.C. After he retired from playing, Kavakas became a football coach. In January 2010, he was appointed manager of third-tier Veria, which he guided to promotion to the second-tier Football League. Six months later, he joined third-tier Platanias and was able to lead the club to promotion to the Football League. In July 2011,
AEL signed him as an assistant to manager
Chris Coleman. However, he returned to Platanias as manager before the 2011–12 season began. There he managed to make a stunning first round course that led to the promotion of the Cretan club in the Super League for the first time in its history. The second half of the season 2011–12 finds him in
Kerkyra, who by that time was struggling to remain in the top league. He will also succeed this difficult mission. In the season 2012-13 Kavakas started coaching second division club
AEL Kalloni, but in January 2013, he returned to the bench of AEL this time as a head coach until the end of the season. The financial problems and the failure to promote the team in the Super League, led to his withdrawal in June 2013. Days later he signed with
Greek Football League club
Panachaiki. ==Managerial statistics==