Belleville football looks to new future with new coach Dubuque

Photo by Jim Hague/ Belleville welcomes a new head coach in John Dubuque (center). He is joined by his offensive line, from left, Armando Ramos, Dwight Pitts, Daniel Giangrande, Dubuque, David Morton and Pierre Renard.

 

By Jim Hague

There’s a new head football coach at Belleville High School, but he’s not exactly a total newcomer or a stranger.
John Dubuque, who spent several years as an assistant coach at Belleville before moving on in 2009 to become the head coach at Boonton in Morris County, has returned to his Essex County roots to become the head coach of the Buccaneers, replacing Chris Strumolo.
“Since I worked here for many years, I didn’t skip a beat in coming back,” said Dubuque, a native of Glen Ridge who worked under both Joe Fischer and Strumolo. “That was one of the issues I thought I might have, since I got the job so late (in June). I thought that we might be behind the eight-ball just a little. It did take a little time, but the kids responded well to me.”
In fact, Dubuque feels that the Buccaneers are moving forward already.

To read the full story, see this week’s issue of The Observer.

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