Danville Admiral Football has long been a program with an outstanding history. Boasting 11 state championships, Danville arguably has the most storied football program in Kentucky history. The last few years, though, have been a different story. Following the departure of a longtime coach, there has been frequent turnover of the head coach position, leading to instability and uncertainty throughout the program. The latest hiring, however, is different.
Coach Steve Stonebraker, the 18th winningest active coach in Kentucky football, was announced as the new head coach of the Danville High School football team on Dec. 2, 2024. Coach Stonebraker understands the weight that comes with the position of head coach at Danville, saying,
“Danville has an exceptional tradition in football, and being able to be a caretaker of that is something I value a great deal,” Stonebraker said.
Coach Stonebraker’s passion has always been football. Growing up in Bowling Green, Stonebraker played football at Warren Central High School and played in two state championship games. Stonebraker then went on to play collegiate football at Union College in Southeastern Kentucky.
Stonebraker credited “the love of the game” and the mentors he’s had as the cause of his coaching career.
Stonebraker started his coaching career at Casey County and, since then, has coached at many high schools including in Jeffersontown and Woodford, Garrard and Adair counties. Stonebraker’s most recent one-year stint at Adair County resulted in a 10-2 record, which was a drastic improvement from the previous year’s 3-7 record.
Coach Stonebraker comes to Danville with 30 years of coaching experience, and his sights are set on improvement.
“I think I can be somebody that is helpful to the players in getting this turned around,” he said. “The majority of my career, I’ve taken programs that were not in a good place and gotten them to a lot better place.”
About Danville football, Stonebraker added, “I see the program the way it stands now and feel that I can be of help in that way.”
In order to improve Danville football, Stonebraker believes that the first step is to set a new standard for team culture. To emphasize this priority, Stonebraker met with players in the first week following his hiring.
Stonebraker explained that the goal of meeting with the players was for them to know that he came to Danville because of them.
“I chose them,” he said. “And that’s something that I think is important for them to know because I want them to have confidence and to know that they can fight through things and come out on the good end of things on the scoreboard.”
As the new year brings fresh starts, the team has a new outlook. Stonebraker has been impressed with the team’s work ethic and self-motivation since team workouts have started.
“They have really good attitudes, are very positive, and are looking for a change this upcoming season to give the Danville fans something that they can be proud of,” Stonebraker said.
The importance of having pride while playing is not lost on Coach Stonebraker. He wants his players to fight for the name on the front of the jersey and “to play hard and persevere for the tradition of Danville football.”
Stonebraker also wants the team to be accountable for their actions. To achieve this, the team is voting on core team values that will be upheld at all times. He hopes that in doing this, the team will always have a foundation to lean on, even when times are tough.
The virtues that they vote on are what we come back to with our culture,” Stonebraker said. “That becomes what we’re going to build our program on.”
While the team’s record is important, Coach Stonebraker also wants to have an impact on his players that goes beyond football. He strives to be a role model that his players can look up to for guidance and leadership whenever they need it. Stonebraker plans to hold his players accountable and hopes that the players “know it’s coming from a good place, and they know it’s going to end in a good way.”
The lessons that are instilled in the players while playing football will help them long past the end of their football careers, which is what Stonebraker believes is most important.
As the 2025 high school football season nears, Danville fans can look forward to having something to cheer for. With the combination of Stonebraker’s experience and the prospering team culture, the team is sure to have a successful year.
