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Stinespring appointed as Alleghany activities director

Bryan Stinespring coaches during a Virginia Tech practice (WSLS)

CLIFTON FORGE, Va. – The Alleghany County School Board and the Covington City School Board have voted to appoint Bryan Stinespring as activities director for Alleghany County Public Schools and the new Alleghany Highlands Public Schools.

The appointment was approved on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, during a joint meeting of the two school boards at Dabney S. Lancaster Community College in Clifton Forge. Alleghany Public Schools and Covington City Public Schools will merge on July 1, 2022, and create Alleghany Highlands Public Schools.

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A committee with representatives from Alleghany County Public Schools and Covington City Public Schools participated in the interview process for the AD position. Based on recommendations from the committee and Covington Public Schools Superintendent Melinda Snead-Johnson and Alleghany County Public Schools Superintendent Kim Halterman, the school boards approved Stinespring’s appointment Wednesday night.

Stinespring, who has an extensive background in athletics on both the high school and collegiate level, will begin serving as activities director for Alleghany County Public Schools Monday, April 25. Alleghany High School will serve as the high school in the joint school division beginning in the 2023-24.

As activities director, Stinespring will oversee athletic programs, and he will have a key say in the recommendation of the first football coach for the joint high school in fall 2023.

“Mr. Stinespring truly impressed our team with his leadership capacity and his servant heart. We know he has an impressive resume from much work in other organizations, and he also shared a clear commitment to support young people in their athletics and activities. He will join our team as a strong addition as we focus on continuously improving opportunities for students,” shared Kim Halterman, superintendent of Alleghany County Public Schools.

“Mr. Stinespring has returned to our community as an individual with many accolades, experiences, and ideas that will provide our youth opportunities that are needed at this time. He will ensure that the same opportunities he was afforded in our local schools will be available for our students today. He is humble and proud of our community and will work to make the Alleghany Highlands Public Schools strong in athletics and activities,” said Covington City Schools Superintendent Melinda Snead-Johnson.

A native of Clifton Forge and a 1982 graduate of Clifton Forge High School, Stinespring spent 26 years on Frank Beamer’s coaching staff at Virginia Tech from 1990-2015.

Stinespring served as a recruiting coordinator and tight ends coach from 2012-2015 after an 11-year stint as offensive coordinator from 2002-12. He was primarily the team’s tight ends coach for his final 10 seasons (2006-2015) in Blacksburg. He was also the recruiting coordinator from 1994-2001.

Prior to his elevation to offensive coordinator, Stinespring was an assistant head coach for one season (2001). He managed the offensive line for eight years (1998-2005) and handled tight ends for the first time for five seasons (1993-97). After serving as a graduate assistant for two years, Stinespring was hired into his first full-time role under Beamer as director of sports programs in 1992.

During his time with Tech, the program won seven conference championships and advanced to 23 consecutive bowl games. The Hokies earned invitations to eight BCS bowl games, including the national championship game in the 1999 season.

After Beamer retired following the 2015 season, Stinespring returned to his alma mater, James Madison University. He spent two seasons at James Madison, leading the Dukes to a 28-2 record and back-to-back appearances in the FCS national title game. After working his first season as the tight ends coach, he transitioned to offensive line coach in 2017. He additionally served as the team’s run-game coordinator.

Stinespring also spent time on the offensive staffs at Old Dominion and the University of Maryland. Most recently, he served as an assistant head coach and offensive line coach at the University of Delaware.

Stinespring was a walk-on player for James Madison in the early 1980s. He graduated from JMU in 1986 with a bachelor’s degree in political science. He earned a postgraduate degree in education administration from Virginia Tech in 1992.

He spent his first four years coaching at the high school level. After a three-year stint at Lexington High School (1986-88), he coached at Patrick Henry High School for one year (1989) before heading to Virginia Tech as a graduate assistant.

While serving as an assistant at Lexington, Stinespring coached Brent Pry, who was hired in November as head football coach at Virginia Tech. Under Stinespring’s tutelage, Pry excelled as a quarterback and a defensive back at Lexington.

Stinespring has four children: Daniel, twin daughters, Caroline and Olivia, and another daughter, Ella Grace. He is a son of the late Bob and Loretha Stinespring of Clifton Forge. His brother, Kevin, is a lifelong resident of Clifton Forge.

After leaving the University of Delaware in November, Stinespring explored other career opportunities. But he said it was the allure of returning to his hometown and making a positive influence on the community that led him to apply for the AD position.

Bryan Stinespring appointed as new Alleghany activities director (Alleghany Public Schools)

“I am extremely excited for this opportunity. This community has always been my home and the foundation for all that I have been blessed to do. It is my hope to be as impactful to this community as it has been to me,” Stinespring said.

“As we moved through this interview process, it was very evident that our school administration and the school systems are driven and determined to provide the very best for our students, schools, and the community, as we transition into a challenging and worthwhile endeavor. All of us will share a common theme of being all in,” he said.