Don Cooper and John Hoskins, prominent high school coaches in the Denver area 50 years ago, died last week.
Hoskins, 82, died of heart failure Friday at Hospice of St. John’s in Lakewood. Cooper, 84, died Dec. 27 of complications from pneumonia and heart problems.
During his coaching career in the Jefferson County Schools system, Hoskins introduced weight training at Lakewood High in the 1950s.
Cooper coached track and field at Wheat Ridge and Cherry Creek. During his career at Nebraska, Cooper became the first college pole vaulter to clear 15 feet. He accomplished the feat at the Kansas Relays in 1951.
Services for Hoskins are 9 a.m. Friday at Crown Hill Mortuary and Cemetery, 7777 W. 29th Ave.
Services for Cooper were private.
Irv Moss, The Denver Post
CSU catches Floridian’s attention.
Colorado State’s football program received a pledge from Charles Lovett, a 5-foot-8 wide receiver at Hillsborough High School in the Tampa, Fla., area.
The three-star () prospect played receiver, running back, quarterback and cornerback, was a holder for his kicker and returned punts and kickoffs in a 41-14 playoff rout of Largo. He scored twice on punt returns and once on a quarterback bootleg, according to Hillsborough coach Earl Garcia.
“He’s a super young player,” Garcia said of Lovett, a four-year starter.
Garcia said Lovett was sold on signing with CSU after taking a recruiting trip to Fort Collins with his father. National signing day is Feb. 2.
“He liked (CSU) and he was tired of the whole (recruiting process),” Garcia said.
Lovett also drew interest from East Carolina, Florida International, Duke, Cincinnati and North Texas. Garcia said Lovett committed as a junior to South Florida before a coaching change there.
After making 44 receptions for 1,108 yards as a junior, Lovett’s production as a senior dropped with a change in Hillsborough quarterbacks.
Natalie Meisler, The Denver Post
