Marty Gordon
NRVsports@ourvalley.org
Joe Hutson has stepped down after two years at Christiansburg High School. Christiansburg High School has begun an immediate search for a new girls’ basketball coach and Athletic Director Tim Cromer confirmed the opening would be listed on the county’s website in the near future.
This will be the third time in four years that Christiansburg has had to find a new coach.
Hutson guided the Lady Blue Demons to back-to-back playoff appearances and this past season, he was named the News Messenger All-County/All-City coach of the year.
Hutson has experience as both an assistant and head coach of several successful AAU programs in the Roanoke area, but had never been a high school coach until CHS.
He is currently employed at Virginia Tech with the Network Infrastructure and Services department.
When reached by email on Thursday, he said it was his professional career that has placed an extra demand on his schedule.
“I love coaching and I’m grateful for the experience, but I also have a really demanding professional life outside of basketball and I’m not able to commit the time and energy that both deserve,” he said.
Hutson’s daughter, Gracie, played guard for CHS this past season. For now, he said, she has not made any decision on her return next year.
“She hasn’t made that decision at this time, right now we’re just enjoying spending some father-daughter time in the gym working on her game,” Coach Hutson said.
His record at Christiansburg was 38-11 including winning the 2017-2018 River Ridge championshop.
Hutson replaced Darius Kelly, whose contract was not renewed after his first season as the CHS’ coach.