Victor Valley coach cherishes chance to watch son play

Dave Hoover remembers a talk he had with a coach from a four-year school who had stopped by to watch his Victor Valley College football team practice several years ago. Hoover mentioned he was leaving early because his son had a baseball game.

"He just looked at me and said he couldn't remember the last time he saw his son play," the Rams coach said.

That comment hit home with Hoover, now in his ninth year directing the Rams.
Hoover has coached at the Division I level so he knows the grind and the lack of job security.

So he'll take the minor inconveniences in exchange for a more normal life away from the field.

That life away from the field includes sons Michael (18) and Zachary (20), fiancee Melissa Spillman and her two young sons, ages 7 and 10.

"If you're at that level and you're winning, you're moving on to something better. If you're losing, you're getting fired because you're not winning," he said. "There is no stability, no normalcy."

Hoover is noted for his fiery demeanor on the football field. But ask about his family and that hard-core exterior softens, especially when it comes to Michael, the one who shares his love for football.

Michael is in his senior year at Apple Valley High School. He has played multiple positions and is one of the team captains.

Despite a frenetic schedule that includes coaching and a full load of classes, Hoover hasn't missed an Apple Valley game, no matter where it is.

He makes the most of it.

"That's when I do a lot of my scouting," he said. "It gives me a chance to see a lot of players."

Despite his expertise, Hoover doesn't get in the way of the Sun Devil coaches who direct his son because he respects how head coach Frank Pulice runs his program.

"He has never said one word about anything we did," said Pulice, who also attends most Victor Valley games. "The only time he said anything was when I went to him and asked him about something. He has never been anything but supportive."

Michael excels at linebacker but has also seen time at fullback and even the offensive line where he was undersized at 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds. It wasn't the best move for him personally but it was what the team needed at the time.

Pulice said the two have the same intensity but it manifests itself in different ways.

"They're actually polar opposites. Dave is very intense, very demonstrative. His intensity is more external. Mike has the same intensity but it's more internal. He doesn't have to say anything. It shows more in what he does."

Both Hoover-led teams have fallen on hard times. The Rams are coming off a 39-14 win over Compton but they're just 3-6 overall and 3-3 in the newly formed American Division Mountain Conference. They finish the season with a winnable 1 p.m. game Saturday at 2-7 Mt. San Jacinto.

The Sun Devils are 4-5 heading into Friday's regular season finale against 9-0 Hesperia.

Next year things should be a lot easier for the family because Dave expects his son to play for him at Victor Valley. What will likely make it easier for both is that Michael plays on the defensive side of the ball so he'll deal more directly with defensive coordinator Dale Bunn.

It will be the first time Hoover has coached his son in football, although he has coached him in youth baseball.

"He's always been hard on me so I know what to expect," Michael said. "He always pushed me harder than the other kids. I'm used to it."

Having a coach for a father also comes in handy.

"There's always an aspect of the game that he can explain that I don't understand," Michael said. "He knows me best so I always have someone to go to for answers."