J.T. Stone has made some tough decisions during his time as the football coach at Santa Barbara High.
But even the decision to go for a game-winning touchdown rather than a tying field goal in last 40 seconds of a CIF championship game, wasn’t as heart-wrenching for him as the one he shared with his football team and the school administration recently.
Stone announced that he will be stepping down as coach of the Dons at the end of the season and moving his family to North Carolina, where he could afford to buy a house.
“It definitely was the hardest thing I had to do, making this decision,” said Stone, who is entering his ninth season at SBHS. “Speaking to the boys was difficult.”
He felt that telling his players before the season started was the right thing to do. The Dons play their first game on Aug. 19 at home against North Torrance.
“I didn’t want to be the type of coach that upped and left after the season was over. I wanted them to understand… we have a relationship. I felt like, ‘These are my guys and I want to let them know early.’”
Besides losing its popular football coach, Santa Barbara High’s girls basketball program is losing two outstanding players in Stone’s daughters, Elle, a sophomore, and Jazmeen, a freshman. Elle was the Dons’ leading scorer in her freshman season.
Stone said the girls will attend Mallard Creek High School in North Charlotte. His son, Devin, will finish out his senior year at Santa Barbara High and play on the boys basketball team.
Stone said his family has talked about moving to a more affordable area for some time. His youngest brother, Julyan, has a home in Harrisburg, N.C.. that he bought when he was playing in the NBA with the Charlotte Hornets.
“We’ve been talking about this for years, but it finally got to the point: ‘Let’s get it done,’” said Coach Stone. “If we don’t do it, we’re going to be sitting here 20 years from now and haven’t bought anything. I didn’t want to do that.”
Stone is local guy. He was standout athlete and quarterback at Dos Pueblos High and a record-breaking quarterback at SBCC.
Santa Barbara Athletic Director Todd Heil said he and Stone had conversations about the decision to leave Santa Barbara.
“He let us know this was on his mind a couple of weeks ago,” said Heil. “He kind of walked through it and talked through it and things like that.
“It’s tough. He means a lot to that program. It’s going to be tough to see him go.”
Stone has coached the Dons to a Channel League title in 2019 and four CIF-SS playoff appearances, including the Division 8 championship in 2019. They reached the Division 6 quarterfinals last season.
Heil emphasized that the important thing right now is to focus on this year’s team “and make sure they have as successful a season as possible.
“We’ll cross the bridge of finding that new coach down the road a little bit,” he said. “We want everyone to understand the focus is on the team this year.”
Stone has an athletic and talented squad, led by senior running back/linebacker Nathan Barrios and junior quarterback Abel Renteria.
Barrios credits Stone for helping him turn his life around.
“I was a really big troublemaker and he put me straight, and I’m very happy for it. I wouldn’t be the type of person I am today without him” he said. “I wish he could stay longer and I can see after high school and talk to him, but that’s just part of life.”
Renteria, who started as a sophomore and led the Dons to an 8-4 record and the CIF quarterfinals, follows in a line of outstanding quarterbacks that Stone developed. Before Renteria, there was Deacon Hill, who is playing at Wisconsin, Frankie Gamberdella, who went to Sacramento State and Brent Peus, who was a preferred walk-on at Stanford.
Stone started working with these quarterbacks when they were part of his Big Picture Athletics training business as little youth football players. He continues to coach young players and plans to turn over the business to the right person.
“I’m still going to have my footprint in Santa Barbara,” he said. “I definitely want to keep that program here and I have some people in mind that I want to get affiliated with the school to make sure these kids have a foundation, a platform to continue this. That’s where it starts. I can’t leave this town without servicing my kids. Even though I’m 3,000 miles away. They’re still my kids and I want to make sure they have that platform.”
He said telling the young players was difficult.
“It was hard breaking the news to the little guys because they look at you with that look, ‘Lead me in the right way.’’’
Hill expressed his appreciation for Stone on Twitter, saying: “Words cannot express what Coach Stone has done for our community. He cares more about all the kids than anything else. Along with me he’s helped so many in our own journeys. Can’t wait to see what the next step is for you, thank you for everything. Love you coach.”
Heil has been impressed how Stone cares for his players and all the students on campus.
“The thing that I’ve noticed is just seeing how he is on campus, seeing how he is with all of our kids on campus and seeing how popular he is. Like I told him the other day, he’s got such a big heart that sometimes people don’t get to see that as the football coach. I’ve gotten to see that being the athletic director,”said Heil. “He’s an incredible cheerleader. He’s somebody you definitely want in your corner.
“He’s not just there on the football field, he’s there around the classroom; he’s there making sure they go to class; he’s there making sure they’re on time; he’s there making sure they’re doing well in class. His presence has been important.
“It’s big loss in the community. He’s big name in the community in football. Then you add in Jazz and Elle. Devin is a great kid.
“But it’s hard to argue the fact that it’s hard to live in this town right now. There are other opportunities for his family to have, probably financially, a better quality of life elsewhere. And he’s got to do that.”
As he enters his final season, Stone feels he’s leaving the program in much better shape than when he started.
“That’s what really allowed me to make the decision. Whoever walks in, they’re walking into a very good situation,” he said.
“This is the best team I’ve ever had. This is the best bunch of athletes I’ve ever had. I was happy and comfortable (about making the decision), because these boys are going to continue to do great things.”