Dan Loney will be taking over for Vic Cooper in leading the Greyhounds

ATASCADERO — An email went out on Monday, Dec. 18, announcing that Dan Loney will be taking over as the Atascadero High School (AHS) varsity football head coach.

“Atascadero High School is pleased to announce Dan Loney has accepted the head varsity football coaching position at Atascadero High School, taking over for Vic Cooper,” read the email from AHS Athletic Director Sam Derose. 

Loney, an AHS alum himself, graduated in 1996, where he earned a full scholarship to play football at Cal Poly. He graduated from the university in 1999 after playing as a four-year starter. Then, he was a graduate assistant coach there before spending 10 years playing in the Arena Football League, nine with the San Jose Sabercats, and one with the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz. Loney continued coaching for high school teams all 10 years he was in the AFL. He coached in Porterville and in the North County; you’ve seen him coaching in Atascadero, Templeton as head coach for five years, Paso Robles High, and now back to AHS. 

“I look forward to continuing the great tradition of Atascadero football,” Loney said. “Following Vic Cooper is no easy task. He had 20 years of great success with hard-nose Greyhound football, and I just hope to continue where he left off.”

Cooper, who has been the AHS head coach for the last 30 years, is stepping away from the field and handing over the reins to Loney. While he might be leaving coaching behind, he will still remain teaching at AHS, and he’s looking forward to rejoining the football team as an assistant sometime in the future.

Loney also has three sons — Clayton, Cole, and Cade — who have followed in his footsteps playing ball. He says it’s been better than he could imagine watching them out on the field.

“Watching all three of my boys playing football, having success, making life-long relationships, learning to be counted on as a teammate, and learning how to become leaders is a dream come true,” Loney added.

Welcome back to the Greyhounds, Coach Loney.

Feature Image: New Atascadero High football head coach Dan Loney (right) is shown with his son Cole Loney (left) after Atascadero’s CIF championship win in 2022. Photo provided by Loney Family.