Coach Chris Kubik has been the head football coach of the Madison Dodgers since 2007, and this year marks his 18th and final season at the helm. With a role as significant as that of Ted Monica, the previous head coach of the Dodgers, Chris Kubik achieved tremendous success. Inheriting a losing streak, Kubik quickly set a plan in action, and the Dodgers succeeded.
Before Kubik was the head coach of the Dodgers, he spent 15 years as the defensive coordinator for teams such as Verona and New Brunswick. During this time, he helped lead the teams to 3 state championships in 2001, 2003, and 2006.
Not long after assuming the Dodgers head coaching role, Kubik began structuring the foundation of a winning team. Within his first decade with the Dodgers, he led the team to win 5 state championships, ending a 31-year drought for the Dodgers. During this time period, the entire meaning of being a Dodger changed, and they became known for their hard work, toughness, and ability to perform when it mattered most.
When asked about his career in an interview, Kubik said that “ the 3 wins as an assistant coach (at his previous schools) were nice, but winning the fourth as a head coach is special.”
Although Kubik’s decade of dominance in football at Madison came to an end, they have failed to reach the same success in the last few seasons as they did in his first ten, the remarkable reign of Kubik and the Dodgers will never be forgotten.
According to many players, Kubik has had a lasting impact not only on their football skill, but their life as a whole. WR/Safety AJ Eldridge said that “Coach Kubik’s coaching really goes further than the trophies, he implements many values and important lessons that we can use for our entire life.” Going into his farewell season, Coach Kubik has left behind much more than his physical accomplishments and championship wins, but a program with Dodger values at its core.