The European League of Football’s Gladiators from the Costa Daurada in Spain have announced the signing of Doug Semones as their new defensive coordinator.
Most recently, Semones was the head coach at Occidental College (NCAA Div. III) (2012-2016) located in Los Angeles, California. Before retiring in 2017, he compiled an impressive record. In his first three years, Semones led Occidental to three consecutive 5-4 seasons with a 4-3 record in conference play. Prior to Occidental, Semones spent three seasons at Yale University (NCAA Div. I) from 2009-11 where he worked with the outside linebackers and coached the defensive line.
Before his stop at Yale, Semones coached at various places in high school, college and pro.
He won four OIA Championships and went 68-14-2 in seven seasons as the head coach (1989-95) at Kahuku High School in Hawaii and later had a three-year stint as the special teams coordinator and defensive line coach at the University of Hawaii from 1996-98. Following that, he was the defensive and special teams coordinator for the Hawaiian Islanders of the Arena Football League.
Gladiators head coach Adam Rita:
“Coach Semones is a coach with a extensive background as a coach, he will provide us the expertise on defense, necessary for us to compete at this level of play. Very excited to have him. He will also be a big help for me as a head coach for he has extensive experience in that area.”
Bart Iaccarino, General Manager of the Gladiators Football:
“He has had a distinguished career in football and in California they have incredible respect for him. We think everything he has done for this sport and his way of being fits perfectly. We are building a staff with a high technical profile and Semones is another example. We want to have on the field the most perfect possible result resulting from the mix between wisdom and energy provided by our coaches”.