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Loudoun Valley names McGrath football coach
Danny McGrath is the new football coach at Loudoun Valley High School.
McGrath, 25, of Lovettsville, becomes the youngest head football coach among the 10 public schools in Loudoun.
“I've always tried to prepare like I was going to be a coach one day,” said McGrath, a 20-game starter on the offensive line at Virginia Tech, who served as team captain in 2006. “It was always my goal.”
McGrath spent last season as an offensive line, strength and conditioning and junior varsity coach at Park View. He received his first official look at his new team in action during a 7-on-7 passing camp at Millbrook High School in Winchester July 12.
“At some point I'm going to be a first-year coach, whether I'm 25, 35 or 45. It's going to be a learning experience, but everything is a learning experience,” McGrath said. “I've tried to take every learning experience and make the most of it in preparing for this role, so I'm excited for it and ready for it.”
McGrath, a three-sport standout (football, baseball and wrestling) at Herndon High School, takes over for Bruce Sheppard, who resigned for family reasons in May after six seasons at the helm.
"He obviously has the playing experience and leadership qualities we're looking for," Loudoun Valley athletic director Janeen Schutte said of McGrath. “But he also spoke about wanting to build good character traits in his players, like discipline, accountability and respect.”
McGrath received numerous academic awards while earning his bachelor's and master's degrees at Virginia Tech. He is a physical education teacher at Rolling Ridge Elementary School in Sterling.
“My big thing is that it is about the kids. It's not about me. I've had my time. It's about the kids and putting them in position to succeed,” McGrath said. “I hope to be a huge part of the community. We have a good opportunity to have a big effect on the community.”
The Vikings posted a 2-8 record in 2007, a season in which they installed a spread offensive attack. That style of offense involves spreading the field horizontally to open up vertical gaps for the passing and running game. McGrath learned a lot about the spread offense from Park View head coach Andy Hill last season and will likely utilize the spread this fall.
McGrath hopes to have his coaching staff in place by the end of the week. He admits they will be a little behind in preparation – considering fall practices begin Aug. 4 – but stated, “It was very professional of the coaching staff that was here in place already and for the kids to take it upon themselves [to prepare]. It was kind of inspiring in a way.”
The Vikings kick off the 2008 season Sept. 5 at Forest Park High School in Woodbridge.
“We are going to walk into every stadium and the scoreboard is going to say 0-0 at the beginning,” McGrath said. “What we do to prepare for that and the preparation we put into this year is going to determine the outcome of these games.”
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