Clifford Berry is a 1998 graduate of Danville Independent Schools. He lives in Danville and is assistant coach for the University of Campbellsville Harrodsburg's men's basketball team. He also runs his own business, NuBreed Academy.

In his role with the University of Campbellsville, he's also been able to recruit Danville High School graduates to play college basketball. Berry was inducted into the DHS Hall of Fame around 2018. Previously at DHS, he's been the assistant coach for boys' basketball and head coach for the girls' team. 

Q: Tell us about your Danville Schools journey. What school(s) did you attend, and what’s a highlight that stands out to you? 

I went to Jennie Rogers. I think I was there in kindergarten through second grade. From third through fifth I went to Hogsett Elementary, and then I went to Bate Middle School and graduated from Danville High School. I’m a Danville guy through and through.

My senior year was probably my best athletic year I’d ever had. And academically — that was the year I became serious about my education. I played four sports that year — football, basketball, track and field and tennis to finish out my year. I broke a state record in track and field my senior year that held for about 15 years, and I was very proud of that. When I finished high school basketball, I was 12th region player of the year for Danville, and we won our first Class A Regional Championship my senior year. 

I was happy to go on to Berea College and I played there for a couple years, and a lot of immaturity brought me back home. I think it’s one thing that’s allowed me to relate to a lot of the kids here — I’m very honest and open about the mistakes I’ve made. That’s one thing that I can use to help those kids not make those mistakes and be able to be successful at the next level. It took me a little while, but I ended up going back to get my degree from Eastern Kentucky University, and now I’ll be working on my master’s at Campbellsville University in business planning. 

I came back here and I coached for Ed McKinney for about 10 years as his assistant, and that was fun. That was an awesome thing, and I was inducted into the Hall of Fame for Danville High School around 2018, and that’s an honor. I love to bring my kids back and show my picture on the walls, something that will be there for a long time. 

When I took the girls’ head coach job, one thing I said was that I’m a Danville guy. Even though I took the Campbellsville job, I still come back here, watch games, recruit a lot of kids from here. I love this town. I want to see them successful in anything they do. 

Q: What aspects of your Danville Schools education helped mold you into the person you are today? 

One program we had all of my years in high school, but the years I really took it serious — it was called the AVID program. It was run by Bobby Trumbo, called Advancement Via Individual Determination, and that program really helped a lot of us become prepared for college. We did a college prep program back then. A lot of us were athletic kids, and we were serious about that, but we never took the academic side seriously. And when that program came along, it really showed us how to get our paperwork done, how to get prepared, talk to our counselors, to get our applications done. It really helped prepare us individually instead of looking to our parents to hold our hands. That helped me out big time. 

Q: When you think back on your Danville Schools experience, are there specific instances or relationships that stand out to you as having had a significant impact on your success since graduating? 

Ed McKinney — that’s my life mentor, coach mentor. He’s helped me out with a lot of things growing up. My kids have been around him. I’ve known his kids. I got to coach them in high school. That's my guy. I love him to death. He’s helped me with coaching, a lot of things in life. That’s a relationship I don’t think I’ll ever end. Ernest Dunn is a great guy. I’m so proud to see he’s still part of the Danville program, Danville family, because those are the people we need in our school system to make sure we’re successful and I know really care about these kids. I still have a lot of relationships with people here, and some of the older people — Nellie Shelton, Bobby Trumbo — they really had a big effect on me growing up education-wise and athletically. Marcus Stallworth was another guy that was my track coach. I know I can message those guys anytime and get any questions answered. It’s been a lot of good relationships with Danville that I really love. 

Clifford Berry is a 1998 graduate of Danville Independent Schools. He lives in Danville and is assistant coach for the University of Campbellsville Harrodsburg's men's basketball team. He also runs his own business, NuBreed Academy.

In his role with the University of Campbellsville, he's also been able to recruit Danville High School graduates to play college basketball. Berry was inducted into the DHS Hall of Fame around 2018. Previously at DHS, he's been the assistant coach for boys' basketball and head coach for the girls' team. 

Q: Tell us about your Danville Schools journey. What school(s) did you attend, and what’s a highlight that stands out to you? 

I went to Jennie Rogers. I think I was there in kindergarten through second grade. From third through fifth I went to Hogsett Elementary, and then I went to Bate Middle School and graduated from Danville High School. I’m a Danville guy through and through.

My senior year was probably my best athletic year I’d ever had. And academically — that was the year I became serious about my education. I played four sports that year — football, basketball, track and field and tennis to finish out my year. I broke a state record in track and field my senior year that held for about 15 years, and I was very proud of that. When I finished high school basketball, I was 12th region player of the year for Danville, and we won our first Class A Regional Championship my senior year. 

I was happy to go on to Berea College and I played there for a couple years, and a lot of immaturity brought me back home. I think it’s one thing that’s allowed me to relate to a lot of the kids here — I’m very honest and open about the mistakes I’ve made. That’s one thing that I can use to help those kids not make those mistakes and be able to be successful at the next level. It took me a little while, but I ended up going back to get my degree from Eastern Kentucky University, and now I’ll be working on my master’s at Campbellsville University in business planning. 

I came back here and I coached for Ed McKinney for about 10 years as his assistant, and that was fun. That was an awesome thing, and I was inducted into the Hall of Fame for Danville High School around 2018, and that’s an honor. I love to bring my kids back and show my picture on the walls, something that will be there for a long time. 

When I took the girls’ head coach job, one thing I said was that I’m a Danville guy. Even though I took the Campbellsville job, I still come back here, watch games, recruit a lot of kids from here. I love this town. I want to see them successful in anything they do. 

Q: What aspects of your Danville Schools education helped mold you into the person you are today? 

One program we had all of my years in high school, but the years I really took it serious — it was called the AVID program. It was run by Bobby Trumbo, called Advancement Via Individual Determination, and that program really helped a lot of us become prepared for college. We did a college prep program back then. A lot of us were athletic kids, and we were serious about that, but we never took the academic side seriously. And when that program came along, it really showed us how to get our paperwork done, how to get prepared, talk to our counselors, to get our applications done. It really helped prepare us individually instead of looking to our parents to hold our hands. That helped me out big time. 

Q: When you think back on your Danville Schools experience, are there specific instances or relationships that stand out to you as having had a significant impact on your success since graduating? 

Ed McKinney — that’s my life mentor, coach mentor. He’s helped me out with a lot of things growing up. My kids have been around him. I’ve known his kids. I got to coach them in high school. That's my guy. I love him to death. He’s helped me with coaching, a lot of things in life. That’s a relationship I don’t think I’ll ever end. Ernest Dunn is a great guy. I’m so proud to see he’s still part of the Danville program, Danville family, because those are the people we need in our school system to make sure we’re successful and I know really care about these kids. I still have a lot of relationships with people here, and some of the older people — Nellie Shelton, Bobby Trumbo — they really had a big effect on me growing up education-wise and athletically. Marcus Stallworth was another guy that was my track coach. I know I can message those guys anytime and get any questions answered. It’s been a lot of good relationships with Danville that I really love. 

Q: As a product of Danville Schools, what advice would you give to a parent who was choosing an education path for their child? 

My advice is to trust the administration. I know how seriously most of these teachers take it and how hard they work. Some parents think they have a better opinion and want their opinions to be heard, and I understand that at times, but I think over the years we’ve lost trust for our administration, and that has to be built back up. And once you’ve committed your kid to that school, let them grow. Let them blossom and build relationships with not only their peers but their teachers, and everybody be able to get to know each other and build a family. That’s the one thing I felt it was in Danville when I was growing up. We could go to any teacher if we had an issue and you never felt judged or there would be issues. Nowadays it feels like there’s a lot of animosity. Everybody wants to be heard. Everybody has an opinion, and sometimes you just have to trust the administration. And I think we have a good one here, building a great system. You just need to learn how to trust it and allow your kids to grow. 

Q: As a product of Danville Schools, what drives you to give back to your local school and/or district? 

Knowing the problems that most of our kids have to deal with that a lot of people run from. I know that the biggest thing to give back to Danville is time. If I can just give my time to a lot of the kids who need it and just to see a strong Black male who will be out here representing for them and doing the right things … that’s the most important thing for a lot of our kids. Some people think it’s finances, but it’s not. It’s being there for them and showing you will support them. When they have events, you go to cheer them on. Even though I’ve moved on to Campbellsville University, I’m there for those kids. If they’re serious about college basketball, I’m going to be the first one there to recruit them and give them that opportunity. I think that’s the biggest thing I can give back to these kids is my time. 

My advice is to trust the administration. I know how seriously most of these teachers take it and how hard they work. Some parents think they have a better opinion and want their opinions to be heard, and I understand that at times, but I think over the years we’ve lost trust for our administration, and that has to be built back up. And once you’ve committed your kid to that school, let them grow. Let them blossom and build relationships with not only their peers but their teachers, and everybody be able to get to know each other and build a family. That’s the one thing I felt it was in Danville when I was growing up. We could go to any teacher if we had an issue and you never felt judged or there would be issues. Nowadays it feels like there’s a lot of animosity. Everybody wants to be heard. Everybody has an opinion, and sometimes you just have to trust the administration. And I think we have a good one here, building a great system. You just need to learn how to trust it and allow your kids to grow. 

Q: As a product of Danville Schools, what drives you to give back to your local school and/or district? 

Knowing the problems that most of our kids have to deal with that a lot of people run from. I know that the biggest thing to give back to Danville is time. If I can just give my time to a lot of the kids who need it and just to see a strong Black male who will be out here representing for them and doing the right things … that’s the most important thing for a lot of our kids. Some people think it’s finances, but it’s not. It’s being there for them and showing you will support them. When they have events, you go to cheer them on. Even though I’ve moved on to Campbellsville University, I’m there for those kids. If they’re serious about college basketball, I’m going to be the first one there to recruit them and give them that opportunity. I think that’s the biggest thing I can give back to these kids is my time. 

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