Jim Riggio
HOOVER HIGH-- Rob Swartz knows he isn't going into the easiest
situation by taking over the Hoover High football program, but the
34-year old math teacher is willing to tackle the challenge.
Swartz, who has been an assistant coach at Fremont High in Sunnyvale
the last five years, has been named Hoover's new football coach.
Having seeked a head coaching position, Swartz went on a statewide
search looking for a school to coach and teach at, before settling on
Hoover.
Hoover, which is coming off of a 3-7 season with one win coming on a
forfeit over Monroe High, had its head coaching position vacated when
Mark Bitetti resigned in November.
"I was looking for a school with a diverse background and a school
that would hire me as a head coach," Swartz said.
Swartz, who will teach math at Hoover, said he was impressed with the
school when he interviewed for the position.
"I'm impressed with the school's administration and I'm really proud
to be here at Hoover," Swartz said Monday.
Swartz comes from a family with a big football background.
His brother is an assistant coach at Oregon State University and his
father coached and was an athletic director several universities.
Prior to coaching at Fremont High, Swartz was an assistant coach at
San Jose State University for the 1993-94 year.
Although he doesn't plan to move to the area until after the school
year ends, Swartz has already began looking ahead at the teams his team
will face.
"I've seen our tapes from our games and it's a good league with
competitive coaches," Swartz said of the Pacific League.
Swartz, who spent time in the Army, said he doesn't have a specific
system that he relies in coaching.
"I know certain coaches say this is our system, but I don't think you
can evaluate what you're going to run until you look at the talent you
have," Swartz said.
Swartz said he hopes to get more interest in the program, which has
won five games the last four years.
"We have to get the best athletes on the campus out for football,"
Swartz said.
One selling point Swartz said he hopes to do that by is to remind
students that what high school football can bring to them.
"You have only a short window of time to play high school football,
and the relationships you build in football will stay with you the rest
of your lives," Swartz said. "A key to being successful is we need to
promote football."
Hoover co-principal Kevin Welsh said is very excited about what Swartz
will bring to his school.
"You're looking for the right match and for this school, we think he's
the right match," Welsh said. "We had several candidates and there were
some strong ones, but when Rob came in we were jumping out of our
shoulder pads."
