Keith Hooper, second on the county's all-time win list, will teach Spanish and coach in an Atlanta suburb.
By STEVE LEE
Published May 28, 2003
NEW PORT RICHEY - Adios and gracias Keith Hooper, a River Ridge spanish teacher and girls soccer coach who ranks second on the county's all-time win list.
Those sentiments were expressed by rival coach Vicky King (Land O'Lakes) and River Ridge boys coach Steve Doyle, Hooper's former assistant.
Hooper, 140-81-27 in 12 seasons as the Royal Knights' only coach, will teach Spanish and coach a boys soccer team at Jonesboro High in an Atlanta suburb next season.
"It was a shock to me. He called me up and dropped the bomb," Doyle said of last week's phone conversation with Hooper. "I'm happy for him, but I'm sad, too, that he's leaving. He's been a part of our system for a long time.
"I'll miss him. Working for him for all those years has been great."
Ditto for Hooper, who said, "I'll never work with anybody like (Doyle) again."
"He was very serious, but easy to talk to about the game," said King, the county's winningest coach at 233-106-28 in 16 seasons.
Hooper, 37, coached River Ridge to one district and three conference titles. He also guided the Knights to the regional semifinals in 1997 and 2002. Last season, the team went 9-13.
A win-loss record, however, is not how Hooper rates his career as a coach.
"To me, it's individuals," he said. "Was I able to help anybody? To me, that's what's important."
"He's a great teacher," Doyle said. "He knows his stuff."
Added King, "He recognizes good teams and good players when he sees them."
Hooper said he will miss his players, adding, "I think of them as my extended daughters."
Among the top players Hooper coached were 2001 graduate Lindsey Jones, the school's all-time goal scorer with 108, and defensive stalwart Lauren Mayros (Class of 1999).
Hooper, head of River Ridge's language department, has considered moving his family - wife Maria and daughters Nicole, 12, and Frida, 5 - to a metropolitan area outside Florida for the past two years. He will make about $46,000 at Jonesboro, an increase of his $35,000-plus at River Ridge.
"Do I want to leave here? No," Hooper said. "But after living all this time in Florida, it's time to go. I don't want to retire in Florida."
Hooper, born in Virginia, moved to the Jacksonville area with his family when he was in the third grade.
Hooper's departure leaves two soccer coaching vacancies at River Ridge. Doyle also is looking for an assistant.
