By Rubin E. Grant
For the second time in as many years and the third time in his career, Hoover track and field coach Devon Hind has been honored by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
Hind was named the association’s boys track and field and cross country national Coach of the Year on July 28. The award was presented by the U.S. Marine Corps.
Hind was selected the Boys’ High School Coach of the Year for Alabama for the 2019 track and field season. He was the association’s 2014 Girls Coach of the Year for Alabama.
Hind has guided Hoover to four consecutive Class 7A boys indoor titles and six of nine championships, along with seven girls titles since the Alabama High School Athletic Association restarted the sport in 2012.
“Our goal is to win state every year,” Hind said in a release from the association. “There is a level of commitment that needs to be had to do that and we get that from our athletes and coaches. They don’t take competing or coaching at Hoover lightly.”
Since taking over the Bucs’ program in 2003, Hind has led Hoover to 39 track and field or cross-country championships.
This past indoor season, the Bucs romped to a 25.5-point win at the state meet at the Birmingham CrossPlex. Hoover qualified athletes in 14 finals and scored in 12 of those.
“You have to realize that the shot put counts just as much as the 60-meter dash,” Hind said. “Everybody usually just focuses on their team’s specialty. We try to focus on every event. It’s not about winning events. I mean, it’s nice to do that, but it’s about scoring points. All of those third, fourth and sixth places add up at the end of the meet.”
Hoover turned in some incredible individual and relay efforts at the state indoor meet. In sweeping the horizontal jumps, the three athletes who were involved in that feat – L.J. Hill, J’Marri McCall and John Watkins – all set personal records, namely Watkins with his 48-10½ triple jump that ranked him fifth nationally. Not to be outdone, the Bucs’ 4×200 relay team went 1:28.50 to win and ended the season nationally ranked alongside Watkins at fifth.
“We had a great season in the sprints and jumps and all of that credit goes to my assistant coaches, like Carl Floyd and Mark Ruffin,” Hind said. “They get their athletes ready to compete when the chips are on the table and it’s really fun to watch that.”
Hoover’s outdoor season ended in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
