Football’s new head coach is here to win

Matthew Starchville | Guest Writer

Matt Reidenbaugh coaches at John Champe High School. Reidenbaugh coached there for six seasons before joining the Raiders as head coach. Photo courtesy of Loudoun County athletic department.

Matt Reidenbaugh is a coach that is used to winning. As he leaves John Champe High School after six seasons he will bring his talents to Raider football. In his six seasons at John Champe as the offensive coordinator he led the Knights to six straight playoff appearances in four different divisions.

“It was really hard to leave Champe after six seasons,” Reidenbaugh said. “I worked at Champe as a coach and also taught at the middle school that leads into Champe. I have known some of these kids since they were 11 so to see them grow up in school and in football is very special.”

Reidenbaugh started his football journey at Westfield High School. He played at Westfield all four years of his high school career. He was lucky enough to get the chance to play on a State Championship team.

“At Westfield I was surrounded by a lot of smart coaches and had a great experience there,” Reidenbaugh said. “A lot of my best friends that I made in high school came from football. In high school I fell in love with football.”

Jason Dawson was the head coach at John Champe High School when Reidenbaugh was the offensive coordinator. Dawson guided Reidenbaugh through his early years as a coach.

“When I was hired at Champe I was only 22 years old,” Reidenbaugh said. “Coach Dawson always believed and invested in me. At 22 Coach Dawson gave me responsibilities that a coach would not necessarily give a 22 year old coach. When I was 25 years old Coach Dawson promoted me to Offensive Coordinator. For me it is important for the people and players around me to have the same qualities.”

Reidenbuagh always knew that he wanted to have a job that kept him involved in his sports. Although football is the sport he fell in love with, he also has interests in basketball and baseball.

“When I knew I wanted to be a football coach in college I did a shadow coaching job for one of the old assistant coaches,” Reidenbaugh said. “I talked with him about his career and his path to being a coach. After that experience it was a no brainer.”

Reidenbaugh is grateful for all the opportunities that he has been given. After college he knew coaching is what he wanted to do. He loves coaching and is thankful for all the coaches that have impacted his life. He attributes his ability and desire to coach to his experience in college, crediting all the coaches that have impacted his life.

“I wake up everyday and am thankful for my job and that I get to do something that I love for a living,” Reidenbaugh said. “For me it doesn’t matter the pay or the hours you work as long as when I get out of bed I am excited about my job.”

Reidenbaugh has had a lot of experience as an Offensive Coordinator and that experience has benefited him to be ready to take on the Raiders head coaching job. This experience has given him practice in all elements of coaching.

“When you are an assistant, you have a different perspective than as a head coach,” Reidenbaugh said. “When you are an offensive coordinator you not only have to know a great deal about football but you have to manage players and you have to be organized in a way that’s bigger than you could ever know.”

Reidenbaugh has a lot to look forward to coming to a school like Loudoun County with a rich history and a great fan base. Football is one of the sports that bring this school together. You will know it is a Friday night when County’s football lights are on and you can hear the cheering and chants from the street.

“I believe that County has a lot of potential and that the fans don’t fully understand how special this football team can be,” Reidenbaugh said. “I’m really excited to bring all the things that I have learned over the years to Loudoun County.”