2026 CMFL Head Coach of the Year - David Hershberger of the St Joe Bucks

2026 CMFL Head Coach of the Year

David Hershberger

St. Joe Bucks

Written by Coach C – SemiPro GameDay

There is an old saying in football:

Winning isn't everything... it's the standard.

If there is one coach who embodies that mindset every single day....

 it is David Hershberger.

Quite simply...

All he does is win.

The 2026 season marked the return of St. Joe Bucks football to where the organization believes it belongs among the elite. But this remarkable campaign wasn't built overnight. It was forged through adversity, accountability, and an unwavering commitment to excellence.

The 2025 season served as a crossroads for the Bucks. Battling what many considered one of the toughest schedules in the nation, St. Joe faced four Top 25 opponents, including one powerhouse three separate times in the same season. Despite finishing 5-6, nearly every loss came down to a handful of plays. They were painful defeats, but they were also lessons.

Many coaches would have accepted the circumstances.

Many would have blamed the schedule.

Many would have settled.

Coach Hershberger did none of those things.

Instead, he went back to work.

The moment the season ended, he was already preparing for the next one. He evaluated every aspect of the program, strengthened its weaknesses, and doubled down on what already made the Bucks successful.

The defense became faster, tougher, and more disciplined.

The offensive line became one of the league's premier units.

The secondary transformed into the CMFL's best.

But perhaps Coach Hershberger's greatest accomplishment wasn't found on a stat sheet.

He strengthened the bond between the Bucks and the St. Joseph community.

By investing in people as much as players, he helped create an atmosphere unlike any other in the league. Home games became events. The stands filled with passionate fans. The energy inside Bucks Stadium became one of the greatest home-field advantages in the CMFL.

The results spoke louder than words.

The No. 1 seed in the Gateway Conference.

Gateway Conference Champions.

A berth in the 13th CMFL Championship Game.

Multiple All-CMFL selections.

Numerous individual award winners.

One of the premier programs in semi-professional football.

Championship programs don't happen by accident.

They are built through vision.

They are sustained through culture.

And they are led by coaches who refuse to lower the standard.

David Hershberger is exactly that kind of leader.

He refuses to quit.

He refuses to accept excuses.

He refuses to tolerate mediocrity.

That relentless pursuit of excellence has transformed the St. Joe Bucks into one of the CMFL's model organizations and reestablished them as one of the league's premier championship contenders.

Congratulations to David Hershberger of the St. Joe Bucks, your 2026 CMFL Head Coach of the Year.

A well-earned honor for one of the finest leaders in the game.

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