Saying it was just the “right time” to step away, Christian County football coach Steve Lovelace has announced he is stepping down. The announcement was made Tuesday afternoon at a media gathering outside the football blockhouse at Christian County High School.
The announcement comes just over a week after it was announced that Lovelace was being replaced as Athletic Director at the school. To date, school officials have given no reason for that decision.
Lovelace was 100-67 in 14 seasons as Colonel head coach. Only Dan Goble won more games on the Colonel sidelines. He was the 2008 Kentucky Coach of the Year after leading the Colonels to the Class 5A state title game. Christian County returned to the 5A state championship in 2010. In both title games, Christian County lost to Highlands.
The Colonels were 11-0 in 2017 before losing in the playoffs to South Warren in the second round. Two years later, the Colonels dropped to 0-11 and endured the program’s first winless season since 1971. Christian County opened a COVID-shortened 2020 season with a win over Madisonville before losing its final five games of the season.
The Colonels were done no favors by the KHSAA in 2019 when they were moved into the same Class 5A district with perennial state powers Bowling Green and South Warren.
Lovelace is a 1988 graduate of Mayfield High School. He was an assistant coach under Craig Clayton for ten years at Hopkinsville and then moved over to Christian County as an assistant coach to Mike Whittaker for two seasons, before being named the Colonel head coach in 2007.
In a brief statement, CCHS Principal Matt Boehman said “Coach Lovelace has led many young men throughout his years at Christian County High School. He has also helped many of his players pursue college careers. We thank Coach Lovelace and wish him all the best.”
Christian County Superintendent of Schools Chris Bentzel said Tuesday afternoon they will start to find a replacement.
“One of the reasons new administration at the district level brought in Kerry Stovall as the district’s athletic director is to help support both high schools and find candidates and recruiting for those positions. Obviously, there will be a system in place that is equitable in both high schools, we’re going to have a hiring committee, and we’ll follow the guidelines for the staffing and personnel situation that we have to follow.”
Bentzel hopes to have the process complete and find a replacement for Lovelace in about four weeks.
