HIGH SCHOOL JOURNALISM: Rebuilding J-Hawk football

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By Taylor Mueller, Jefferson senior

CEDAR RAPIDS - The rebuilding process to restore the Jefferson football program took a step forward in  March when Brian Webb was named the head varsity  coach.

The strong backing for J-Hawk football was enough to convince Webb that Jefferson was the place to be.

“There was strong support that came from both the administration and from the community,” Webb said. “They were very eager to get the program turned around.”

The task will not be an easy one as Webb work's to resurrect a program that has lost 22 straight games, the longest losing streak in Class 4A history.

Those  facts don't faze Webb, however, as his plan to restore the struggling program emphasized a hard work ethic and the willingness to work for everything they get.

“We're going to start from the base with how we interact with young people and with how we recruit from within the school,” Webb said. “We're going to teach them to work hard and that you have to earn what you get, and that's the reality of life.”

Webb noted  his plan will not just be physical.

“A lot of it has to do with what goes on between the ears,” Webb said.  "We need to change the attitude of losing and that starts with supporting your teammates.”

Webb's plan for the Jefferson program is modeled after how he conducts himself and the example that he strives to set for his players.

“He demonstrates a very strong work ethic,” said Matt Orton, who was on the interview committee to select a new football coach. “It is very evident through my few dealings with Coach Webb that he is willing to invest the time necessary to rebuild the J-Hawk football program.”

“He brings discipline. He expects it from his staff and his players. He outlined his plan for success in great detail and was able to communicate this information well to the interview committee.”

Junior and varsity football team member Hunter Kloubec is excited about what a new face on the sidelines will mean for the program.

“He seems like he knows what he's doing,” Kloubec said. “He's experienced in what he does and I'm excited to see what he will do. He brings discipline, but he's a nice guy. He brings faith and I think he will bring us together a lot more.”

Webb said his goal will be to have an “immediate impact” right from the start. He will be relentless in his efforts to restore the program, but will keep his philosophies in perspective.

“I have a philosophy on every aspect of the program,” Webb said. “You need to have something that you stand for and something that you believe in. My goal is to work as hard as I can every single day. Through our philosophy, we are going to put people first and winning second.”

Orton said  Webb's experience with numerous age groups and different levels of play will help tremendously in his position at Jefferson.

“He has worked at all levels and understands the developmental process that student athletes need to go through in order to achieve success.”

All eyes will be on the young coach from Carroll Kuemper High School as he works to bring success to a program that has not seen much of it in the past years.