These Gazette-area Iowa high school football teams have new coaches in 2024

Joe Hadachek never really disengaged with football.

He admitted he was drained and the spark had dwindled when he resigned as Union Community’s head coach after the 2018 season. Hadacheck stayed connected, helping at the middle school level before returning as a Knights assistant a year ago.

The competitive flames rekindled with the challenge of elevating a Vinton-Shellsburg football program that has only made two playoff appearances.

“I had no energy when I walked away,” said Hadachek, who guided Union to two state title games, including the 2011 Class 3A state championship. “I got some energy back. … I was overwhelmed by the response of the people here — the administration, the parents and the booster club — wanting to change things.

“And, the blessing of my wife (Gloria), saying I can coach again.”

Hadachek is one of at least 17 Gazette-area football coaches beginning their first season leading their current programs. The vast turnover in Eastern Iowa programs seems coincidental, resulting from the need for a new challenge or relocation to simply seizing the opportunity to achieve a goal as a head coach.

Hadachek has a knack for building or resurrecting football programs. He did it at the college level, more than doubling Buena Vista’s average wins per season during his four seasons in the late 1990s. Union struggled before Hadachek took over in 2007, taking them to 11 straight postseasons. Now, he’s tested with creating a winner out of a team that has no playoff victories and hasn’t been to the postseason since 2009.

“It’s a blueprint,” Hadachek said. “You’ve got to have a great weight program and the kids have to buy into it, too. We can’t make them lift. You also have to have a staff that understands the work and commitment it takes, the fundamentals of the game and are willing to put in the time. This is not a hobby.

“Once you have those things in place, you can start working on the X’s and O’s, fundraising and all that stuff.”

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New coaches often have to roam the halls and work on participation levels, depending on the program. Hadachek was tasked with adding to the 35-player roster from last season. Work began immediately.

The school announced his hiring in February and a couple weeks later Hadachek attended an orientation for 2024-25 freshmen. He was encouraging players to come out for football before the ink was dry on the contract. The roster surpassed 60 at the start but has settled at about 56.

“I ended up seeing a couple kids, a couple farm boys, and asked if they were playing football,” Hadachek said. “They did in seventh grade and I said you’re going to play. I got a couple guys right out of the gym that day and they’re out. They probably don’t have the skill level of a high school kid, but they have the heart. We’ll work on the fundamentals.”

First-year head coaches have to establish and instill a philosophy to steer the players and staff. Hadachek subscribes to a “Faith, family, football” mentality, following the mantra of legendary Aplington-Parkersburg Coach Ed Thomas.

Cedar Rapids Washington first-year coach Eric Addy has witnessed his emphasis of resilience and unity take hold.

“We’re getting buy in, for sure,” Addy said. “Guys are locking in. They are buying into our concept of being tough and being together. We’ll see how it goes. I can say we don’t have guys who aren’t on the (same) page. Everybody is learning, everything is brand new. We’re all learning.”

Addy replaced former Warriors Coach Maurice Blue, who became an assistant at Cedar Rapids Prairie. Addy, the former Des Moines North coach, used the summer to get acquainted with the Warriors, referring to the difference from June 10 to now as “night and day.”

He has been encouraged by the swell of participation, especially in the freshman class. Freshmen are a blank slate, entering the program at the same time. They don’t know another way and can be the easiest to work with a new coach. Addy said they will grow together.

“We have a humongous freshman class, which is huge to build on, because they’re new, and I’m new,” Addy said. “So, three years from now, we can say that was a really big class (that we all grew together). I’d say when it’s all said and done, we’ve handed out equipment to 40-some kids.”

Change of scenery or a new opportunity

Some coaches have moved to a new program.

For Lance Pedersen, the two hours of driving back and forth to Mount Vernon swallowed up free time. Family was at the heart of his decision to coach closer to his home in Marengo. His daughter is finishing high school while his son is a freshman, so Clear Creek Amana seemed like a suitable switch.

“It was just the right fit at the right time,” said Pedersen, who coached the Mustangs to the 2A state finals in 2015 and 2022. “I wasn’t looking to get out of Mount Vernon. We had done great things there. The team they have this year is absolutely loaded.

“It just all fell into place. It was the right time to make the move.”

Knowing the Mustangs program was in good hands made the decision easier. Pedersen’s successor, Brad Meester, has taken over at Mount Vernon, retaining the previous staff he had worked with in the past for a seamless transition. Meester played for A-P’s Thomas before the University of Northern Iowa and a 14-year career as a lineman for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

“Brad is a great guy and he’ll do a great job,” Pedersen said. “There are so many great coaches on that football staff. … I think Mount Vernon is in great hands.”

Iowa City Liberty also has a former NFL player as a first-year head coach. Former University of Iowa tight end Scott Chandler has taken the reins for the Lightning, replacing James Harris. Chandler’s NFL career spanned 2007-15, including more than four seasons with the Buffalo Bills.

An Iowa City school led by a former Hawkeye and NFL tight end. Sound familiar? The formula worked well when Iowa City Regina hired Marv Cook, who turned the Regals into an annual powerhouse, winning seven state titles in 14 seasons. His successor, Jason Dumont, resigned from the post after three seasons.

Dustin Elsbury’s first season as a Regals assistant was Cook’s final year. He served under Dumont and is now in charge with the Regals legacy.

“It’s been really exciting,” the 31-year-old Elsbury said. “It’s been my goal since I got into teaching and strength and conditioning to be a head coach and speed coach.”

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Elsbury doesn’t come as a blank slate. He graduated from Coe College in 2015 and played under the late Kohawk Coach Steve Staker. He returned to coach with current Coe Coach Tyler Staker. He also worked in Iowa’s strength and speed program and observed how Hawkeye Coach Kirk Ferentz ran his program.

Elsbury said Cook and Dumont have been mentors but he isn’t shying away from filling their shoes. It is a delicate balance for a new coach to honor the history and placing a personal stamp on the program.

“As I take over, especially at a place like Regina, I understand that they have a great tradition,” Elsbury said. “They have had a lot of success as far as the win column goes. They’re always a state contender, so I know they were doing things right. I don’t want to change too much, being a first-year guy. I want to keep our base foundation. Keep a lot of the staff. Maybe add some small tweaks here and there to put my fingerprint on it, especially this first season.”

Dumont wasn’t away from the sidelines long. During the offseason, he accepted the head coaching position at West Liberty.

Adjusting to a new voice

Each coach has a different twist on systems and schemes. Terminology alone can cause confusion. Players can spend years learning under one coach and scrap everything under a new coach. Add in expectations, intricacies of how they run workouts and practices and demeanor and it can be hard to adjust.

Each coach has had to deal with transitions. West Branch’s John Nestor Sr. has had to adjust from living in the Chicagoland area and assisting at national powers like Mount Carmel and Lincoln-Way to moving to small-town Iowa and one of the state’s iconic small-school programs that had been guided by late Hall of Famer Butch Pedersen and then his devotees.

“A change, for sure,” Nestor told The Gazette. “But we expected that.”

Nestor said he has coached for almost 20 years. He has had some good mentors during that time. Nestor has seen highly-competitive programs operate and wanted a chance to make his mark.

“I’ve just always wanted to run my own program,” Nestor said. “I’ve seen what it looks like at a very, very high level, and I’ve always wanted to do my own thing.”

Experienced head coaches will likely have an easier shift to a new program. New head coaches will have a larger learning curve. Many programs will encounter those growing pains this season.

“Change is always a challenge,” Pedersen said. “If you have change with purpose it goes over well.”

Comments: kj.pilcher@thegazette.com