In an exciting development for West Liberty football, Jason Dumont, former head football coach of Iowa City Regina, will be taking the helm of the Comets next season for their 2024 campaign.
“I’m very excited to be part of the community, I’m very excited to join the program,” says Dumont, who compiled a 23-7 record with three playoff appearances as head coach for Regina.
“Regardless of the score on Friday night, the kids are going to play hard, they’re going to play football the right way, and they’re going to play it with class,” he says.
Dumont was the defensive coordinator and associate head coach for 14 years at Regina before becoming head coach. Before that he spent three years as a coach in Mid-Prairie.
He was an integral part of a staff that led Regina to 11 state championship games where they won seven titles, he also aided in the famous 56-game win-streak.
“We are thrilled to welcome Coach Dumont to the West Liberty family,” said Adam Loria, Activities Director at West Liberty Schools.
“His passion for the game, combined with his leadership abilities, makes him the ideal coach to lead our football program,” he said.
Dumont decided to step away from Regina after 17 years because his youngest son is slated to graduate this spring. At the time, he had no plans of coming back.
However, an opportunity presented itself, and Dumont decided to take it. He was already familiar with West Liberty and impressed by the community’s passion toward its teams.
“I still have that desire to stay involved with the game,” he says. “It was an attractive opportunity for me to go out there and keep doing what I love.”
He’s now tasked with taking on Comet football. He has respect for the team’s history and has plans to build upon the program.
“The big thing is we’re going to play smart, tough football,” he says. “I want them working hard, I want them enjoying the experience, and I want them playing for each other.”
Dumont was born and raised in Wellman, Iowa. He graduated from Mid-Prairie High School in 1988 and the University of Iowa in 1992.
He played under head coach Hayden Fry for the Hawkeyes from 1988-1992 as a defensive end. All four of his children attended Regina while he was a part of the football program.
Dumont lives between Iowa City and Solon. He is a farmer and a business owner. His company, Wealth Advisors Group, works in wealth management consulting.
However, his passion is football.
“Football is not an easy sport to play,” he admits. “It’s the only sport where you have nine months of off season, then you’re only really guaranteed nine opportunities to compete.”
That being said, Coach Dumont will take over a West Liberty team that has struggled a bit as of late. During the 2023 season, they went 1-7 and didn’t make the playoffs.
The Comets went 6-3 in 2020, 3-6 in 2021, and 3-6 in 2022. All three of those years the Comets made it to the playoffs, but never ran deep.
In fact, the Comets only had one playoff appearance from 1993 to 2009. However, they made it to the playoffs six times from 2017 to 2022. They’ve had 14 total appearances in the post season.
West Liberty went to the UNI-Dome in 2018 where the competed in the Class 2A semifinals against Prairie City Monroe, a game they lost 27-0. The only other time they have made the semi-finals was in 1987.
The question is, what can Dumont bring to a struggling Comet team?
“There’s no secret sauce. The recipe is to work hard. If I can take a bunch of young boys when we start and have them leave West Liberty as young men, we’re going to have success,” he says.
“You do that, and the wins and losses take care of themselves,” he adds.
His first challenge will be putting together a winning staff, filled with good people who are willing to put in the time and have some experience.
Then it’s time to work with the athletes, where he’ll push them to be the best they can be in whatever sport they choose outside of football season, including track, basketball and wrestling.
“You spend 17 years somewhere and have some success, you learn a lot. I think that translates over into any program,” he says. “I’m going to take that same model and apply it to West Liberty.”
As for the players:
“I’ve looked at the schedule and we can win every game on that schedule next year,” he says frankly. “At the end of the day if that’s not the attitude you’re taking as a coach, or a player, why are you out there?”
Dumont names two role models that he looks up to when it comes to coaching. The first is Don Showalter, his own high school basketball coach.
Showalter is a nine-time USA Basketball Developmental Coach of the Year award winner and owns a perfect 62-0 record at the helm of USA Basketball U16 and U17 teams.
The second is Hayden Fry, who took the University of Iowa Hawkeyes to several titles as head football coach from 1979 to 1998. He was, of course, Dumont’s coach as a Hawkeye.
With these two in mind, along with over two decades of coaching experience, Jason Dumont is ready to take on the challenge that is West Liberty Football.
His first test will come early. The Comets officially open their 2024 season against none other than Iowa City Regina on Friday, Aug. 30.
“It’ll be a little bittersweet looking across the field and seeing those Regina helmets on the other side,” he says. “But you know what? Go Comets. I’m all in.”