Colfax-Mingo chooses Clemens for girls’ basketball post

COLFAX — Jeff Clemens thought about returning to coaching in 2010 and 2015. Both times, his full-time job wasn’t going to allow him to give 100 percent to a high school program.

But he’s retiring from the military after serving more than 30 years for his country, Clemens is throwing his hat back in the coaching ring and his latest opportunity will take place at Colfax-Mingo as the school’s new varsity girls’ basketball coach.

“I wanted to coach somewhere in either the Metro (Des Moines) or a town on the outer end of Des Moines that was close,” Clemens said. “I checked out the coaching jobs and there were a number of them, but I was somewhat selective.

“I did my homework on the schools I looked at and Colfax Mingo was high on my list. I accepted the position the same day they offered me the job as I really liked (co-Athletic Directors) Zach Tomas and Erin Hume and (Principal) Todd Jones.”

Clemens takes over the reins of the Tigerhawk program from Larry Roberts, who resigned this offseason after two years.

Clemens is looking to give the program some long-term stability. And he knows the job will be a challenge.

“Now that I’m retiring I have more time on my hands and it will be my primary focus on building a winning program at Colfax-Mingo,” Clemens said. “I’m very excited to be in this community, but we’ll have to roll up our sleeves and get down to business as we have some work to do.”

Clemens’ research on the Colfax-Mingo girls’ basketball program showed him that the Tigerhawks have won only 31 games in 10 years.

Erin Hume, Colfax-Mingo’s co-athletic director, agrees with Clemens on the fact that rebuilding the program will take time and patience from everyone involved.

“He’ll have to spend some time with it,” Hume said. “He needs to build it from the lower levels and that takes time. But he’s rebuilt a program before. He’s run the gamut as far as coaching goes.”

Clemens’ last coaching job was at his alma mater, Fort Dodge St. Edmond. He was the head girls’ basketball coach from 1998-2003, going 77-38 during that time. His overall coaching record is 108-48.

Clemens also served as the head girls’ track and field coach at St. Edmond from 1996-1999.

He coached volleyball, basketball and track at Earlham High School and baseball at Southeast Webster in the early 1980s.

Before returning to his home state of Iowa, Clemens coached in Colorado. Clemens helped Arriba High School end a 97-game losing streak during the 1981-82 season.

Clemens’ coaching experience started at Saint Mary’s in Storm Lake in 1980.

“He has great experience with a great resume,” Hume said. “The kids will benefit from that. I also think because he’s retiring from the military, that he will have plenty of time to spend on coaching basketball.”

After graduating from St. Edmond, Clemens played baseball at Buena Vista University.

Clemens has met about 10 of the Tigerhawk players during a few open gyms. He also has talked with Roberts about the team.

“The girls are incredibly polite, hard working and eager to learn,” Clemens said. “Coach Roberts did some very good things with the program, but I want to take things to a whole new level. I have the time and my focus will be on the young ladies as well as the community to build our program from the bottom up.”

Clemens plans to build the Colfax-Mingo program through strong defense. He’s already begun reviewing game film from previous seasons and has taken notes to prepare the players for the upcoming season.

“My philosophy is defense wins ball games and we’ll take what the other team give us by exploiting their weaknesses,” Clemens said. “Fundamentals will be stressed at all times in practice. Fans can expect to see in-your-face man and zone defense. We will push the ball when we are able to and press full court when appropriate.”

The Tigerhawks return six rotation players from a squad that went 7-15 last season. The returners include senior-to-be Payton Rhone, who averaged a team-best 12.5 points per game and made 67 3-pointers.

Contact Troy Hyde at
641-792-3121 ext. 6536
or thyde@newtondailynews.com