Sometimes you feel like you’re home and don’t even know it.
Waiting patiently for his name to be mentioned at the March school board meeting at Fairfield, Cory Stoner sat at the end of the spectator row, bookending his three sons as his wife, Richele, capped the other end of the aisle of seats holding their daughter, Carolina. As Stoner was introduced by Fairfield athletic director Mark Engle to the full room of guests, a sense of pride and relief slowly canvassed across his face as he spoke about the decision to apply for, and accept, the position of head football coach at Fairfield High School.
“Just from a football perspective, you start with the kids, they are incredible. Their parents, the community, it’s a very appealing draw,” Stoner said. “You see the growth that coach (Matt) Thacker had here, I feel like I can build upon it. The pieces are there. The weight room here is incredible, that’s where a lot of games are won and lost. The type of kid here, hard working, resilient, gritty, that fits the persona that I run on both offense and defense. That’s exciting from a coaching Xs and Os standpoint.”
It’s an easy thing for many to say, but the Fairfield community actually has direct ties to the Stoner family. Richele is a 2009 Fairfield High School graduate, and played a part in the prayers and background detail for the shift in perspectives. Cory, a Mishawaka native, has been a pillar in the Baugo community and at Jimtown High School, felt the change wasn’t because of any negative circumstance, but more of an alignment with God’s plan for him and his family.
“That conversation really started two years ago,” mentioned Stoner, eluding that as his family grew, the conversations about where do the kids grow up also matured. “The list was very short. It was one school. When that opportunity came open, it was like God saying, ‘You’re door is opening.’ We’ve had many hard conversations and long nights with a lot of tears, but we feel this is what God is telling us to do. And we’re very excited for this opportunity.”
The football nitty gritty for Stoner includes the past four years as head football coach at Jimtown, a program dripping in history and tradition. Stoner was just the third coach at Jimtown in the past four decades, succeeding Mike Campbell, who took over when Hall of Famer Bill Sharpe retired. Stoner’s time on the sidelines were ultra productive, being named the Northern Indiana Conference Coach of the Year in three of his four seasons, as well as leading Jimtown to three NIC Small School Division titles.
Stoner also coached the Jimmies baseball program for five years, deciding to step away this spring in respect of his move from Jimtown to Fairfield this summer. The sidestep away from baseball altogether will be a major change for Stoner, who himself was a college baseball player at Bethel University.
“I’ve never done just one sport in 11 years of teaching and coaching, which is exciting to focus just on football”, said Stoner, who offered a chuckle about not giving current Fairfield baseball head coach and friend Darin Kauffman a run for his money.
“Yeah…yeah. There were some nerves I’m sure.”
So while the school board meeting was the official ‘hello’ as he was formally approved by the board, Stoner and his family were already making connections on campus. He spent a good part of his first week meeting students and on Zoom calls, and was in the crowd at both the regional and semi-state boys basketball games. Not advertising himself, he received a very healthy line of well wishers and people wanting to introducing themselves, whether they were in seventh grade or been in the community for generations.
Surely, having Richele at the dinner table will help with some family tree identifications, but Cory has made it his mission to start those bonds and connections immediately.
“I’m a relationship guy,” spurted Stoner, who immediately quipped, “At one point in the interview process I was told I couldn’t use the word ‘relationship’ anymore. That’s what I am founded upon. I really do want to know the kids, know what they are built on. Not just them as an athlete. That’s only a part of who they really are. There’s a whole person. It’s why I go to choir concerts, why I go to basketball games. It starts by showing you care.”