Canton South names Badre Bardawil head football coach

Badre Bardawil (Photo provided: Canton Local School District)

CANTON TWP, Ohio - Badre Bardawil has been approved to be the next head football coach at Canton South High School. The Canton Local Board of Education approved him during a special meeting held on January 20.

"I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to lead the Canton South football program," said Coach Bardawil. "This is a community that values hard work, relationships, and pride in its schools. I'm excited to get to work with our student-athletes, families, and coaches as we build something special together."

Bardawil brings 26 years of coaching to the Wildcat program. Previously, his head coaching experience was at St. Thomas Aquinas and Claymont schools. 

He has held the position of Offensive Coordinator at Massillon, Canton McKinley, and, most recently, Massillon Jackson High School (also served as QB coach).

"We were fortunate to have a strong pool of candidates, but Coach Bardawil clearly stood out," said Larry Tausch, Superintendent of Canton Local Schools. "His experience, leadership style, and commitment to student-athletes align well with the values of our district and the tradition of Wildcat football." 

Previous head coach Matt Dennison stepped down and was hired at GlenOak High School as their head coach after serving six seasons at Canton South and 18 seasons at New Philadelphia, paving the way for Bardawil to be hired to succeed him. 

One of his most significant moments as an Offensive Coordinator was when he left Canton McKinley to become the Offensive Coordinator at Massillon Jackson, helping them secure a win against McKinley after 17 years in 2024.

The newly hired coach graduated from St. Thomas Aquinas in 1997 and was later drafted into Major League Baseball, but he decided to pursue a football career. He has a BA in Arts from Kent State and is working on his Master's Degree from Muskingum University.