Hoover remembered as more than football coach
Residents throughout Lee County are mourning the death of legendary North Fort Myers High School football coach Ron Hoover, who passed away Thursday afternoon in Hospice. He was 88.
Sympathies and memories were posted on Facebook Thursday for the man who put North Fort Myers football on the map and who made an imprint on the many people who were touched by him, on the field and off.
“He influenced hundreds of athletes and students, and coached future NFL players Deion Sanders, Richard Fain among many other standouts. Thank you, Coach Hoover for your service, the love of the game, the support of your athletes and your never-ending support of our Red Knight Nation,” North Fort Myers High School principal Debbie Diggs said in a statement.
“He built the North Fort Myers band and it was felt every Friday night. He’s the reason North Fort Myers is the powerhouse it is. He will be sorely missed,” said current North head football coach Dwayne Mack. “He developed great young men in the Southwest Florida community and beyond, who serve this community now and beyond.”
Hoover became head coach at North in 1968 as the Red Knights were suffering through a 33-game losing streak. The facilities were a joke, with players hanging their uniforms in red bags that served as their locker.
The players and community bought into Hoover’s plan. Five years later, the Red Knights became the first Southwest Florida team in 23 years to go undefeated and was even ranked No. 1 in the state in Class 4A. The Red Knights continued to be a force in football through Hoover’s retirement in 1986 (He did not coach in 1980), with a record of 117-70-2.
Hoover’s teams won four district titles and four regional titles in 1972-73 and 1985-86, his final two years.
Every year, North’s main rival was Fort Myers, which had a legendary coach of its own in Sam Sirianni. Theirs was unlike any other.
“It was Ron and Sam and the rivalry was very deep. We only had a couple of schools back then and we had two coaches who were the head of two powerhouses,” said North Athletic Director Joe Bowen. “Everybody knew those two guys and it’s sad Ron left us. He meant a lot to North Fort Myers.”
Doug Dailey, who attended North during Hoover’s tenure, said he turned Friday nights at Moody Field into the biggest social events of the year.
“Friday night football in the 1970s was a rallying point for our community. We had the Homecoming Parade go down Pondella Road and that would bring the community together,” Dailey said. “Coach Hoover instilled a lot of community pride, was community oriented and an all-around good person.”
Hoover saw the likes of Deion Sanders, Richard Fain and Warren Williams go to the NFL, while another player, Mike Greenwell, took the baseball route.
Even years after his retirement, Hoover could be seen sitting behind the south end zone, cheering on the team.
Hoover continued to be a father figure for many of those who were touched in some way with his life. He was a fair man who treated people equally and with the same respect.
Hoover used football to teach young men reach their full potential, demanding perfection. Those who played for him in the ’70s who became successful in whatever field they took up regularly spoke with him even in the days before his death and attributed their success to him.
He also influenced many who weren’t necessarily on the football team. If he saw somebody with another sport not giving his/her full effort, he would tell you about it.
Dailey ran cross-country and track & field, and since cross country and football were going at the same time, the runners would be on the track during football practice.
“If coach saw any one of us slacking, he would make it known. He would inspire us and reminded us that when you put on a North jersey in any sport, you represented the community,” Dailey said. “He demanded the best out of you.”
Hoover’s wife taught at Mariner High School, and he would go there occasionally to coach the school’s powder puff football team.
Christy-Lee Iwanow played for Hoover there, along with his daughter, Lindsay. She remembered how he took that sport just as seriously as tackle football.
“It was so easy learning the plays, doing it with Xs and Os. I was a wide receiver. Even with the girls he was on point and gave you that tough love,” Iwanow said. “We had to do drills and he did not take it easy on us even though we were girls. Even though it’s just for fun, we treated it as a real sport.”
Not surprisingly, they won.
His legacy will forever be remembered at North, with the football fieldhouse, which he was instrumental in building in 1978, having been completely renovated and named in his honor two years ago.
Hoover was also a physical education teacher and drivers ed teacher, who taught many a North student how to drive. Stories on those facets of his North life were shared on Facebook.
Debra Ballard was a student and later a colleague of Hoover’s at North. She learned about him as an eighth-grader in 1969 when she had him for study hall.
“He was as intimidating in study hall as he was on the field. Scared the begeebers out of me,” Ballard said. “You did not mess around with him. You came in and you had better have assignments to do and get it done. That was the way he operated.”
Ballard later worked with him at North, this time as a personal friend and athletic director, and remembered him as being very positive, helping prepare Bobbie Dewey for her leadership role among other things.
Last year, Hoover was further honored with the first Pioneer Award given by the North Fort Myers Civic Association.
“It was unanimous that the first award should be given to recognize Coach Hoover because of what he meant and still means to North Fort Myers,” Dailey said. “We were proud that we were able to give it to him first.
A memorial service in Hoover’s memory will be held at Moody Field on Friday, May 13, at 7:30 p.m.