Cannoy’s hiring as PCHS boys basketball coach made official
Tyler Cannoy of Wythe County is the new head basketball coach at Pulaski County High School in a search that amounted to less than a month, and he was the only reported coach to be interviewed for the job.
The Pulaski County School Board on Tuesday voted 4-1 to make the hiring of Cannoy official.
Cannoy’s hiring was part of a list of several personnel actions facing the school board Tuesday. Following comments from a number of citizens on the coaching position, the school board adjourned into a closed session.
When the board emerged back into open session, it approved all the personnel actions in one vote except for the basketball coaching job, which was set aside for a separate vote.
On that vote, the board decided 4-1 to hire Cannoy, with only Robinson District representative Dr. Paige Cash casting a dissenting vote.
Board members made no comments in regard to comments made by citizens concerning the basketball position.
The majority of comments from seven citizens speaking on the issue surrounded questions as to why the selection of Cannoy came so quickly – only just over a week after former head coach Andrew Hart resigned.
Citizens also questioned why apparently only one person was interviewed for the job, and why other local individuals were not considered.
Nearly all the citizens speaking out Tuesday, however, gave Cannoy the benefit of the doubt, noting he may in the end turn out to be a great hire.
One citizen, Brenda Blackburn, said Cannoy is “a fantastic guy and coach.”
“My grandson played for him at Rural Retreat. He (Cannoy) plays to win and it makes no difference who his players are. He is one reason my grandson moved to Rural Retreat High School so he could play basketball for him,” she added.
Cannoy has never been a head coach of a high school program, but he has coached at Wytheville Community College and has been involved in AAU. He has also served as an assistant coach at Class 1 Rural Retreat.
Cannoy is a Max Meadows resident who holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology from Concord College and a Master of Science Degree in Biotechnology from the University of Maryland College.
He has been an assistant coach at Rural Retreat since 2015 and served as head coach of the Team Xplosion 17U AAU travel team. He also served as head coach of Wytheville Community College’s basketball team from 2008 to 2015. In 2012-13 he was named the National Junior College Athletic Association’s Coach of the Year for Division III Region X. From 2013 to 2015 he also served as WCC’s Director of Athletics.
At this point there are no other additions named to the staff or a junior varsity coach. Cannoy is employed by Johnson and Johnson and will not be a member of the PCHS faculty.
Patriot Staff Report