ROANOKE, Va. – The Pulaski County community is mourning the loss of an icon, legend and hall of fame coach Joel Hicks. 10 Sports learned that the former Pulaski County high school football coach passed away Saturday.
Hicks was a fixture in southwest Virginia after taking over the Cougars program in 1979 before retiring in 2002. He cranked out over 200 wins, 17 district titles, six region titles and a VHSL AAA State Championship in 1992.
More than a coach, Hicks is credited with being a great motivator and leader of men, which is why his legacy lived on well beyond his retirement.
Pulaski County’s field was named after Hicks at a ceremony in 2008 and he was later inducted into the VHSL Hall of Fame in 2016.