The Greater Akron-Canton High School Sports Awards show recognized Ryan Shaffer from Hoover and Jim Lipinski from Twinsburg as Coaches of the Year. The event, which honored athletes, coaches, and teams from the area, presented a total of 37 awards. Sponsors like Meijer, Planet Fitness, SARTA, USA Today Sports, and Golfweek made the event possible.
Ryan Shaffer was named Girls Coach of the Year after an impressive run as a high school tennis coach in Stark County. With 21 years at North Canton Hoover coaching both boys and girls teams, he became the winningest coach in Ohio high school history last September. His final record stands at 1,061 wins against 178 losses. Throughout his career, he led the Hoover girls team to numerous successes, including a No. 1 ranking and a third-place finish at the state tournament in 2023. His coaching has produced multiple state championship players and Federal League champions.
Jim Lipinski was named Boys Coach of the Year after leading the Twinsburg baseball team through a tragic loss of their coach Jeff Luca in a car accident in December. Despite the challenges, Lipinski helped the Tigers reach the state semifinals in the spring, marking their first appearance in the state tournament since 2006. With 23 wins under their belt, the Twinsburg team demonstrated resilience and determination under Lipinski’s guidance.
The Greater Akron-Canton High School Sports Awards show is part of the USA TODAY High School Sports Awards program, which recognizes outstanding accomplishments in high school sports across America. The program celebrates hard work and dedication among athletes
