A longtime track and field coach passed away late last month.
John Hoover, who spent 48 years working in Salisbury, died on May 23 at 80 years old.
During the school's March 31 home track meet, the Salisbury HS Open Meet, the school district honored Hoover's service by renaming the track after him - "The John Hoover Track." I can't even begin to tell you how much he meant to the school and community," Salisbury athletic director John Haines said. "When we were in the planning phase of the all-weather track there was absolutely no doubt it needed to be named in his honor."
A native of Browning, Missouri, Hoover attended the University of Missouri and played baseball for the Tigers - along with former teammate Norm Stewart. After graduating in 1965, Hoover started working at St. Joseph Catholic High School in Salisbury, coaching boys basketball, baseball and track and field and in 1969 was named the athletic director.
The school closed in 1971 and he moved to the Salisbury R-IV School District, where he coached boys track and assisted in basketball and baseball.
He added assistant football coach in 1972 and athletic director duties in 1973. He was the AD through 2001 and was a part-time AD until 2013 when he retired.
He taught for 36 years and worked for 48 years in education.
The addition of football meant moving the track from where it sat to a new north-south layout. Hoover created an 8-lane, 440-yard track that took more than a year of labor.
"We had many contractors come through and all of them commented how accurate that track was, especially without the use of today's modern equipment," was an announcement read during the track naming ceremony.
Hoover was joined by many family members, former coaches, athletes, administration, and friends during the renaming process.