Remembering Coach Pat Dawson

Beloved coach will be remembered by Concord community.
Photo By Concord Athletic Department

Even with the sudden death of Patrick Dawson, defensive coordinator of the Concord University football team, the beloved coach still remains in the memories and hearts of the Concord community.

    “This program and this generation has lost a great man and coach,” Head Coach Paul Price said in the athletics department’s press release and on his Twitter page. “I have been specially blessed to work beside him over the past several years. I know that my world is better because of him and he will be forever missed.”

    Coach Dawson took on the position of a Graduate Assistant for the football program at Concord in 2011 before moving to defensive line coach. He held this position until the 2016 season, in which he was promoted to Defensive Coordinator, Assistant Head Coach, and Recruiting Coordinator. In 2014, he helped the Mountain Lions to victory in the Mountain East Conference Championship, which launched the team into the NCAA Division II Semifinals, a landmark in the school’s sports history.

    Speaking on behalf of the Concord Athletics department for a press release, Kevin Garrett, program director, stated, “The Concord Athletics family is deeply saddened by this tragic and sudden loss…Pat was one of those unique coaches that made everyone around him a better person. His zest for coaching and for life was contagious and inspiring. All of our thoughts and prayers are with his family.”

    Coach Dawson’s contribution to the Concord football team was certainly immeasurable. “I loved the way he coached and helped his players no matter what kind of situation we were in,” says Paco Bonds, third year defensive lineman for the Mountain Lions. “He was such an energetic person, he always kept people up and moving.”

    The Bluefield Daily Telegraph quoted linebacker Jake Lilly, who fondly remembers Dawson as “a team motivator.” 

    “He was the ‘hype’ coach. He’d get you hyped and made it fun…I thought the world of him…He was a great football coach, but he was a really good guy.”

    Some athletes under his capable and impactful coaching especially remember him not only for his thoughtfulness and his limitless energy for each day of his job, but also for his incredible mentorship.

    Safety Dominic Wilson recalls his first days on the team. “When I first got there I was struggling with the workouts. After it was all said and done and we made it past the tough conditioning and lifting part he would always say, ‘Dom, I’m going to be honest I didn’t think you were going to make it. I’m glad you did.’ So the fact that I fought through and earned his respect meant a lot to me. He knew how to bring the best out of people. Even after my injury he would keep checking up on me and tell me how important I was to the team and how they needed me. That encouraged me to push myself to get back on the field.”

    “The emotion and effort he put into football day in and day out was unbelievable. He was such a big heart of this team, and we miss him so much,” says Mark Large, Concord tight end.