Irmo High School athletic director Ray Canady has been named by his peers as the 2022 South Carolina Region 5 4A Athletic Director of the Year. The award is presented annually by the South Carolina Athletic Administrators Association.
“This is my home and I am proud to be the Athletic Director of Irmo High School, but I am just one piece of the puzzle,” Canady said. “We have great support from Dr. Ross, the District office and principal Dr. Hampton for all of our Athletic Programs. A large percentage of our student body are athletes and watching them compete is the reason I enjoy my job so much. All of our coaches make this job enjoyable as well. My goal is to make sure our student-athletes have the equipment, facilities, and coaches to be successful. When they graduate, we want them to be prepared to be productive members of society.”
Canady is an Irmo High School alumnus and has been the athletic director at Irmo High School for four years. Prior to that, Canady served as assistant athletic director for the school in 2017 and a social studies teacher at the school since 1994. Region 5 4A includes A. C. Flora High, Irmo High, Lugoff-Elgin High, Richland Northeast High, Ridgeview High and Westwood High.
Canady attended Presbyterian College earning a bachelor’s degree in social studies. He earned his master’s degree in sports science from the United States Sports Academy in 1992 and has received several awards in the field, including being named the South Carolina Baseball Coaches Association (SCBCA) Select Head Baseball Coach in 2017 and Regional Baseball Coach of the Year in 2003.
Irmo High School principal Dr. Kaaren Hampton said, “It truly is impressive that our region coaches recognize Mr. Canady as the region Athletic Director of the Year. He is passionate about our student-athletes and makes it a priority to do everything he can to help them succeed on and off the field!”
