Choctawhatchee High School has named John Barnes as the Indians’ new boys head basketball coach on Wednesday, replacing Evan Wyllie who was hired in May 2024.

• Barnes, a Fort Walton Beach native and 2008 graduate of crosstown rival Fort Walton Beach High School, brings extensive coaching experience and deep community connections to the position. 

The hire represents a significant shift for Barnes, who admitted he initially struggled with the idea of coaching his former rival.

“I was a Fort Walton [High School] guy through and through, so when I saw the opportunity at Choctaw, I couldn’t see myself in it initially,” Barnes said. “My wife went to Choctaw, and as we talked about it, she asked me ‘why not?’ I didn’t have a real reason.”

Barnes said it was his wife’s question that changed his perspective, leading him to apply for the position after taking a year off from coaching to reflect on his future in basketball.

• “Her question of ‘why not?” broke down the wall for me, and I put in the application. As time went on, it just started to feel more and more like the next best thing,” Barnes said. “It was the next natural step for me.”

Athletic Director Andy Thigpen said Barnes stood out among many applicants who responded to postings on social media and the county website.

“Knowing him, his background and experience, and his community-connection just speaks volumes,” Thigpen said. “What he wants to give our kids – the value of life on and off the court, and then also his connection community-wise with our stakeholders – it just speaks volumes for where we’re going to go with our basketball program.”

As a player at Fort Walton Beach High, Barnes was a four-year starter at point guard and three-year team captain, earning 2006 Northwest Florida Player of the Year honors while leading his team to district championships in 2006 and 2007.

• Barnes compiled an impressive record during his tenure as head coach at Bruner Middle School from 2017 to 2023, posting a combined 35-1 record over his final two seasons while capturing three championships and making five playoff appearances in six years.

The program has had two coaches in the last four years, and Thigpen expressed excitement about the stability Barnes could bring.

“We have somebody who has grown up here, has a connection with the community and wants the best for our kids,” Thigpen said. “He has a great plan in place to grow our kids and get Choctaw basketball back to where it has been in the past.”

Barnes played college basketball at three different levels, spending two years at Jacksonville State University (Division I), one year at the University of West Georgia (Division II), and one year at Hardin-Simmons University (Division III), where his team set a school record with 18 consecutive wins. He also played professionally for one season in Valencia, Spain.

Since 2016, Barnes has operated Silentwork, a consulting company through which he coaches youth, college and professional athletes while leading leadership development programs for schools and organizations. He has served as an athletic leadership facilitator at Fort Walton Beach High School and has been a mentor at the Brittany Brown Basketball Camp since 2021.

Barnes said he views the opportunity as a chance to restore the program’s winning tradition after recognizing the school’s basketball history.

• “Just walking through the front entrances of the gym, you can see all of the players that have come through Choctaw and they’ve had a ton of success,” Barnes said. “This is an opportunity that I’m really excited about.”

Summer basketball begins Monday, and Barnes will start immediately.