In April, the Calhoun Community College Athletics Division is excited to announce Candace Byrd-Vinson as the new Women’s Basketball Coach.
The Tanner, AL, native was a basketball superstar during her time at Tanner High School where she played multiple positions. She was named All-County five times and was a four-time All-State selection by the Alabama Sports Writers Association from 1997-2000. She was also recognized as 2A Player of the Year as well as The Decatur Daily Player of the Year. She averaged 21.3 points per game and 14.2 rebounds per game during her high school career, totaling 2,065 career rebounds and 2,795 career points.
Byrd-Vinson played in the Alabama/Mississippi All-Star game while in high school, and became the leading rebounder in Alabama high school history once she graduated. Her lasting effect on the Tanner High School Women’s Basketball Program helped pioneer a movement in the Tennessee Valley that helped recruit high-quality girls.
She went on to play college basketball and graduated from Birmingham-Southern College, where she was a starter. After her career at Birmingham-Southern, Byrd-Vinson got into coaching. She was the Head Girls’ Basketball coach at East Lawrence High School in Trinity, AL, and lastly R.A. Hubbard High School in North Courtland, where she led the team to a Class 1A State Championship in 2017 and multiple Regional Championships and appearances. She was also named AHSAA 1A Coach of the Year by the Alabama Sports Writers Association, Decatur Daily Class 1A-3A Small School Coach of the Year, and named the Assistant Coach for the North Team in AHSAA North/South All-Star Team.
In 2018, she was inducted into the Limestone County Sports Hall of Fame. She is employed by Boys & Girls Clubs of North Alabama, where she serves as the Director for the Boys & Girls Club of Athens, AL. She also serves on the Athens City Chamber of Commerce Board, Public Service Diversified.
She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, and is married to Nicholas Vinson. They have two beautiful children, Kylah and Nicholas.