Growth and grit.
Under the Friday Night Lights at North Canton Memorial Stadium Aug. 29, Hoover varsity football head coach Brian Baum reached an milestone, 100 career victories, against Medina. This win is a reflection of his leadership and environment he’s spent more than a decade building. For players past and present, it’s Baum’s lasting impact on and off the field that defines his legacy.
Senior lineman Ian Kirkpatrick said the moment was special for the team.
“I’m proud to be a part of the team to help Coach Baum reach his 100th win,” he said. “He always tells us that Hoover football is something larger than all of us. Coaches and players come and go, but Hoover football goes on. We all have to make the most of our time here, and I think he’s leading by example.”
That leadership hasn’t gone unnoticed by those who came before. Class of 2025 alumnus Samuel Gorman played varsity football for Baum. To him, the milestone reflects what many already knew.
“I am proud and impressed,” he said. “That’s a really big accomplishment. Playing for him was a great experience.”
Hoover Athletics Director Larry Kinnard spoke on behalf of the NCCS district of Baum’s influence across the school and community.
“We are extremely proud of Coach Baum’s recent accomplishment of 100 career wins,” he said. “Coach Baum’s positive and powerful impact can truly be felt in the Hoover football program, in the halls of Hoover High School, and in the community of North Canton. He is a true coach of young men, instilling the core values that will make them productive and successful members of the community around them.”
Baum began coaching at Hoover during a tough stretch. The 2016 win over Jackson stands out to him as a turning point.
“When I first got here, we weren’t doing very well,” he said. “That 2016 Jackson game that was a great victory for us. It kind of got us turned around.”
Hoover football adheres to a standard built on three core principles: attitude, effort, and family.
“We’re really intentional about the things we do,” Baum said. “Everything stems off those three things.”
Kirkpatrick said Baum’s influence goes well beyond game days.
“Coach Baum has taught me hard work and how to push through challenges,” he said. “In the offseason, we always had finishers at the end of our lifts. They were designed to be physically challenging, but also mentally grueling. They brought us to what we perceived to be our limit and pushed past it.”
Gorman said Baum’s lessons still stick with him today.
“Coach Baum taught me how to be disciplined, and he preached respect a lot,” he said. “He taught us accountability. We shouldn’t be blaming or complaining… he taught us to be very responsible.”
That accountability has become part of Hoover’s identity, especially in the face of tough competition in the Federal League.
“We’re never going to be the biggest, fastest, strongest team out there,” Baum said. “We’ve got to be smart, we’ve got to work hard and buy in. Our kids do it the smart way — the right way.”
That includes constant internal competition, something Kirkpatrick says makes the whole team better.
“Coach Baum always creates competition, and that’s what elevates all of us,” he said. “Competing for spots on the team, and then fighting to keep that spot. It brings out the best in us.”
For Kirkpatrick, the recent win over Green Sept. 12 was meaningful, not just for what it added to the win column, and being a league win, but for the growth it demanded.
“[Green] won four of the last five [games] before this season, and we really wanted to get back after the close game last year,” he said. “Especially our offensive line, we were held at the three-yard line. We really wanted to come out strong, but it was definitely a win to learn from.”
Even with 100+ wins, Baum said he wasn’t counting.
“I didn’t even know at first,” he said. “I had to do a coach’s profile and realized I was two away from 100. Then, we got it. It became bigger than what I would have wanted, but it was good.”
His focus remains the same: stay grounded, work hard, and finish strong.
“Each game is a unique challenge,” Baum said. “There’s more pressure just being 4–0 than there is a victory total. There have only been three undefeated teams here in history [1985 was 10-0; 1997 finished 14-0 and won a state championship; 2003 was 10-0], so that’s not something that gets done very often.”
Gorman still follows the team closely and hopes future players embrace Baum’s core lessons.
“I do follow the team’s progress a lot,” he said. “[Current and future athletes] should learn accountability and respect.”
Baum’s success, players say, comes from more than strategic plays.
“Being able to analyze a player and see everything that they can provide for the team is an important skill for a coach to be successful year over year,” Kirkpatrick said. “Coach Baum has many points he harps on often. However, the one that sticks with us the most is, ‘We over Me.’ One of the most important aspects of our team is putting our collective performance over our individual goals.”
For Baum, every year brings new faces, new challenges and new purpose.
“I still enjoy every year: the challenges that come with coaching, the relationships, the growth,” he said. “If it wasn’t fun, I wouldn’t do it. We’ll look back at the end of the year and celebrate. Right now, we’re focused on winning a league title and hopefully hosting a playoff game or two.”
Still, the appreciation from those who’ve come through the program speaks volumes.
Gorman kept his message simple: “Thank you for everything.”