The Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association is proud to announce that Bob Von Kaneal of Dover High School is the recipient of the 2006 Paul Walker Award. The Paul Walker award is presented annually by the OHSBCA to an active coaching member of the association who has made significant contributions to high school basketball. The award is named in honor of the late Paul Walker, the longtime coach of Middletown High School. At the time of his retirement, he had the most wins as boy’s basketball coach in Ohio High School Basketball history with 695.

Bob Von Kaenel graduated from Strasburg-Franklin High School and Alderson-Broaddus College where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Health and Physical Education. He began his teaching and coaching career at Tuscarawas Valley High School where he served as Head Boys Basketball Coach, Assistant Varsity Football Coach, and Head Girls Track Coach. While at Tuscarawas Valley, his 1988 team finished as the Division II State Runner-Ups, and Bob was named the AP Ohio Coach of the Year in Division III.

In 1992, Bob accepted the head coaching position at Dover High School. He has led the Tornadoes to two state final four appearances (1998 Runner-Up, 2004 Semi-Finalist), six District Championships, ten Sectional Titles, and one Poll Championship. Heading into the 2004-05, his Dover teams had compiled a record of 254 wins and 72 losses, and he has an overall record of 396-175. Bob is the all-time winningest coach in the history of Dover basketball. For his accomplishments, Coach Von Kaenel was named OHSBCA Coach of the Year in 1995 and 1997, and District Coach of the Year eight times.

Coach Von Kaenel has received numerous honors including the 2005 Sportsmanship, Ethics and Integrity Award for Boys Basketball, and the Ohio National Federation Coach of the Year  for 2005. He has coached in the North-South All-Star Game, and the Wendy’s Four State Classic. Bob is very active in the OHSBCA. He served as the District 5 representative, and is a former president of the OHSBCA. He currently serves as secretary of the Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association, as well as the chairman of the Paul Walker and Assistant Coach of the Year committees. Bob remains very active at the local level as well, serving as the District 5 Hall of Fame coordinator, and a member of the scholarship committee.

Bob has been married for 28 years to Beth, and they have two adult sons. Their son, Matt is a Dover Middle School physical education teacher, and serves as varsity assistant basketball coach and freshman football coach at Dover High School. Other son, Marcus is married to wife, Cami, and they reside in Hilliard where Marcus is a medical sales representative for Hook’s Oxygen and Medical Equipment. and Carri is employed as a teacher in the West Jefferson School District.