Asst. Mustang Football Coach to Lead Spy Ponders
John Dubzinski Appointed Head Football Coach in Arlington
– Allison Goldsberry
John Dubzinski, assistant football coach at Medford High School for the past two seasons, has been named the new head football coach at Arlington High School.
“Being a head coach has always been a dream of mine. Arlington has all the ingredients for a great football program,” Dubzinski told Boston.com.
In an interview with InsideMedford.com, Dubzinski said he is “ecstatic” to join the “great history” over the Arlington football program and that it’s an “honor and a privilege” to be a part of it.
Dubzinski takes over for Arlington’s inaugural season in the Middlesex League (Large). There will be twelve teams in the league, including Woburn, Lexington, Winchester, Belmont, and Reading. Arlington, formerly a Greater Boston League member, is currently in the Dual County League (Small).
Dubzinski said Arlington will play a “very demanding” schedule but he expects his team to be competitive in every game.
“We really want to set the tone for a successful season,” said Dubzinski.
Coaching a successful football program runs in Dubzinski’s family. According to Boston.com, the central Massachusetts native has three family members in the MA State Football Coaches Hall of Fame: his father, John, grandfather, Walter, and uncle, also named Walter. His cousin Michael also coaches a successful Wachusett program. His father was a long-time coach in Leominster, where Dubzinski coached for one year, and there are at least ten Superbowls in the family.
Dubzinski acknowledged there are some expectations that come along with his family tree. However, he said he plans on developing his own coaching style and his focus is on how his team does and if the kids win, not on racking up his own personal statistics and accolades.
Dubzinski, known affectionately as Coach Dubs to the Mustangs, previously was an assistant football coach at Everett High School before coming to Medford with Head Coach Rico Dello Iacono. The Bates College graduate was an offensive lineman for the Bobcats and currently works as a guidance counselor at an Everett middle school.
Dubzinski and Coach Rico have coached together since 2002, first in Everett and then in Medford. The two have become very close, both on and off the field, and Coach Rico is definitely going to miss Dubzinski with him on the Mustang sidelines on fall Friday nights.
“It’s a huge loss for our program but a huge gain for the Arlington football program to have a coach of his caliber,” said Coach Rico.
Coach Rico praised Dubzinski for his coaching ability, saying that he’s a teacher more than a coach who instills confidence in his team.
“He will help Arlington go in the right direction for the future,” said Coach Rico.
Dubzinski replaces Daniel Hirsh as Arlington’s head football coach. Hirsh also previously coached baseball for the Spy Ponders.
Coach Rico said he is currently looking for someone to add to the coaching staff, and that it will be “very difficult” to replace Dubzinski. However, he looks forward to seeing him on the football field, and Medford’s first scrimmage of the season will be against Arlington.