Donell Stanley has assumed the duties of the Athletic Director and Head Football Coach at Dillon Christian School in Dillon, S.C.
His coaching experience is at an amateur level. However, that does not discredit his ability, and what he is trying to accomplish here at DCS. “It’s an honor to be able to coach at a Christian school because one is truly doing the Lord’s work. So every day he wakes up he is giving his all for Jesus Christ.
Stanley had some experience as an intern while he was in college. It was at Cardinal Newman in Columbia, SC. He learned a lot while he was there, and it was awesome work with coach Doug Dutton. Stanley couldn’t imagine his life without being around sports. This was not planned at all, but God works in mysterious ways. The day of the Clemson and Carolina game he was watching it with his buddy Jordan Grimsley. We were just talking, and he mentioned DCS was looking for a coach and AD. Stanley told him that he was interested in coaching at the collegiate level, but he thought about it. “Maybe God is wanting me to help give back to my community and show these kids what it takes to play at higher levels. Show them the kind of work you have to put in on the field and in the classroom. Show them the kind of person you have to be, you have success in sports, and in life after the game is over. That’s the real reason I am at DCS,” Stanley exclaimed. Stanley believes that there is tons of talent in this area, and there should be a lot of kids experiencing bigger and better things.
“Coach Muschamp told me a few years ago that I was meant for coaching. He told me I have all the morals to lead an organization and make a change in many lives,” Stanley stated. Stanley has been around a lot of great coaches in his life in college and in the NFL. He has seen the right way an organization is constructed, and what it takes to lead a program to success. With that being said, his goal as a coach is to not disservice these kids. That means do not let them get away with things that would come back and bite them in the butt. He will be preparing them for life and make them accountable for everything they do wrong. Stanley believes the wins will come if one installs discipline in their lives and get them to where they are self-accountable. Also, he believes dependability is huge for him. Stanley wants people around him that he can trust. One cannot go through the motions in life and think one will find success. Same way with being a student athlete because you have to do everything right because the next person is doing it right. One has to prepare and want to compete in everything one does. Stanley knows there are a lot of high expectations for him at Dillon Christian School to have immediate success. Stanley cannot tell us the number of games he thinks DCS will win. Stanley does know that DCS will not be outworked. Now for Stanley and his staff it’s about DCS and developing the best product to put on that field on Friday nights. That’s creating mental toughness and physical toughness. It is Stanley’s job to get DCS players to where nothing can phase them. Throwing a lot of adversity at them that will probably never happen, but their minds are prepared to move on from it. In life, a lot of good things happen, and a lot of bad things happen. Having that mindset to push through and finish, and that starts when they walk inside of DCS at 7:55 in the mornings.
For now, Stanley is at DCS and that’s all that matters to him right now. He’s a “be where your feet are” kind of guy. The Lord knows his future and when he moves him that will be in His timing.
Stanley’s staff will include guys who are invested in making the DCS program better, who display these values that Stanley has mentioned, and also, guys who want to grow themselves and serve their lives with a purpose of wanting to be better. No specifics given yet as to the positions.