Former Danville coach Clay Clevenger, right, with former Boyle County coach Chuck Smith and state FCA director Aaron Hogue after both Danville and Boyle won state football titles in 2017. (Larry Vaught Photo)
So much for loyalty in high school sports. Danville graduate Clay Clevenger, an all-state lineman who played on state championship teams, returned him in 2013 to coach the Admirals. His 2016 team finished 12-3 and was Class AA state runner-up. His 2017 team went 15-0 and won the state title behind the play of Mr. Football D’Mauriae VanCleave, the first Admiral ever to win that award.
Overall, his teams went 65-32 and sent numerous players to play college football.
None of that mattered Friday as Danville superintendent Tammy McDonald fired Clevenger. In a statement to his players, he said he was told school officials “want to go in a different direction” and let him go.
The last three years the Admirals went 12-17. But Clevenger might have done his best coaching jo this season battling COVID-19 and getting his team to finish 4-3 with the losses coming to Somerset and Lexington Christian. The Ads were 3-7 in 2019 with four of the losses coming to Somerset, Lexington Christian and Boyle County — teams that beat a lot of opponents. In 2018 the Ads were 5-7 but the losses were to Boyle, Corbin, Somerset, Lexington Christian and Pulaski County.
Bottom line, the Ads played a terrific schedule and the overall talent was not like it was 2016 or 2017. Again, Danville administrators didn’t care. They booted him off the field.
There’s already a Facebook petition to bring back Clay Clevenger that picked up 50 signatures in the first two hours and that number is only going to grow.
“He has helped mold some of these young men into the men they are today. He believed in them when they didn’t believe in themselves! It is disgrace to the Danville Schools, players, future players, and community that he was let go in this manner. Danville loses to many good ones to Ego’s and Win’s! Stop and think about the effect it’s having on the children!” the petition says.
“We, the undersigned, ask that you reconsider the firing of Coach Clevenger! Considering what he has produced since 2013 is not a valid reason for “going in a different direction ” and the board who recommended or approved this needs to be looked at as a whole!”
In fairness, it was not the Board of Education but Shelton who fired Clevenger. I would be interested in knowing how many football games she’s seen at Danville or if she knows how many players Clevenger has sent to college to play football or helped in other ways.
There’s really no way for upset Danville fans — and there are plenty — to complain. Board of Education meetings are all virtual. Based on my past experiences, emailing complaints will get no response. Maybe mass phone calls to Shelton would make a difference but I doubt it.
But it is not just Danville fans baffled by this firing.
“Can’t imagine Clay not on the sidelines next year. Class act as is the whole family. Where do you ever get a chance at a small school to get a person of his caliber to coach your kids? He was and still should be a coach of a lifetime for Danville. Someone you hire and hope the day never comes when he retires. The Clevenger Family is first class,” Harrosburg’s Bill Wickliffe posted on Facebook.
“That is terrible. Don’t know what direction they could want to take. Coach Clevemger put his heart and soul into that program. He was a class act. It is a shame that Danville’s athletes don’t get any support from administration. I get they would really be happy to just close all sports down,” Lincoln County’s David Cornelius, a long-time football official, posted after finding out Clevenger had been fired.
Boyle County football coach Justin Haddix didn’t get to coach against Clevenger last season in his first year guiding the Rebels because of what COVID-19 did to the schedule. However, pay attention to what he posted on Facebook
“Clay is a great guy and football coach! My first All-Star game coaching, we coached together and got to know him. We competed against each other over the years coaching and always had great respect for him,” Haddix said.
Almost everyone did — except the administration at Danville.
