Tom Canty began his coaching at Pearl River High School in 1962 where he served as Head Coach of the varsity wrestling program until 1967. During that short time his teams produced thirteen sectional champions, five NYS tournament participants who placed fourth or better, and one state champion. He was named Rockland County Coach of the Year in 1966 and in 1967. During the 1967-1968 school year, Tom earned a Master's Degree at the University of Colorado and acted as Assistant Coach for the Buffalos' wrestling program. He then returned to New York's Section 9 to start up the program at Ramapo High School. He soon had the program humming along and produced three sectional champions and a state champion in 1971. In 1972 the Ramapo team had four sectional champions, one state runner up, and two state champions. In 1975 the team had talented co-captains in Mike McCready and Steve Silverberg. Then McCready's family moved to California. Tom took solace in McCready's California state championship, while Silverberg went on to win the sectionals and the New York State championship that year. In 1981 Tom gave up coaching at Ramapo in order to spend more time and attention to Carol and to raising their two daughters, Erika and Michele. He continued to teach. In addition to his duties as coach at Ramapo, Tom put in lots of hours to advance the sport in New York. He officiated at the first State Police Olympics at Nanuet High School in 1969. He became a charter member of the USWF and served as Vice President of the Section 9 Wrestling Coaches Association in 1969 and 1970. He was elected President of that association in 1971. Also in 1971, Tom organized and conducted the first freestyle tournament for wrestlers in the Section 9 and Section 1 area; and he was elected Vice President of the New York State Wrestling Coaches Association. He served as President of the NYSWCA in 1972 and in 1973. Twice, in 1973 and 1974, Tom coached the NYS Freestyle-Greco Team at the Iowa National Tournament, as head coach in 1974. In 1979 he coached the Section 9 team against Poland. By 1994 wrestling was experiencing hard times in Ramapo, and Tom returned as head coach of the East Ramapo Central School District to prevent the termination of the team. The rebuilding took a little time, but in 1997 his efforts were recognized by his selection as Rockland County Coach of the Year and as Section 1 Coach of the Year (League and Conference). By 1999 he had a sectional champion. Since then his team has produced seven more sectional champions, three of whom have placed in the state tournament. Additional coaching awards have followed, including recognition as Ramapo High School Coach of the Year in 2002 and 2003, and the Service Award of the Rockland County Coaches Association in 1999. Tom is a member of the Rockland County Sports Hall of Fame (1988), the New York State Wrestling Coaching Hall of Fame (1992), the Suffern High School Hall of Fame (where he first learned to wrestle) (1998), the Pearl River High School Hall of Fame (2000), and the Ramapo High School Hall of Fame (2003). Since 2000 Tom has been the Supervisor of Student Teachers at Ramapo College of New Jersey as well as Head Coach of a fine high school wrestling program. He especially enjoys the time he gets to spend with his grandchildren, Nicholas, Tyler and Thomas.