Mr. Jim Holl has captured a century of tradition in his new book, “100 Years of North Canton Hoover High School Football,” which shows the evolution of the Vikings through decades of research and archival deep dives. Drawing from a rich history dating back to the early 1920s, Holl’s work highlights how Hoover High School’s football legacy has shaped the North Canton community. 

To Holl, small town football represents more than wins and losses. It’s about identity, connection and a shared history passed down through generations. His book is keen on the idea of uncovering the past of Hoover and how different things were when he was a student. 

“[The book] covers North Canton high school football between 1922 and 2021,” he said. “I was able to get a lot of research done years ago and get some stories and things from earlier archives and yearbooks and pull together some rather interesting facts.” 

Reflecting on his own time as a student, Holl shares his experience at Hoover High School, then North Canton High School, or No-Ca-Hi. To him, high school was more than just classes; he reflected on some of the things he enjoyed during school. 

“I graduated in 1949; I was on the staff of ‘The Viking Views,’” he said. “I enjoyed writing. Of all things, I enjoyed poetry.” 

Holl pointed to memories of his own experience on “The Viking Views,” recalling the difference between his time on staff with “The Viking Views” today. 

“There were features on sports, activities and fans, so it was very much focused on the school and the students,” he said. “The last issue I was amazed at how widespread they’re talking about political issues, social issues, all kinds of things that are going on, which is part of the student world.” 

Holl described a process built on patience and persistence to kick-start his passion for writing. 

“Writing books is just something I do to keep me occupied and keep me going,” he said. “When I started off a few years ago I said, ‘Where am I going to find the time to write a book?’ And it just kind of flowed out. Once I get started on something, without a lot of other distractions, I can sit down all afternoon and write a chapter on something that I was interested in.” 

As Holl wrote his inspiring work, he knew he needed some help; retired Hoover Spanish teacher Mrs. Shirley Dobry stepped in to help bring this book alive. Her contributions brought in more ideas and suggestions, while keeping things true to Holl’s initial intentions. 

“We started with me typing five chapters at a time — he wrote them longhand,” she said. “When I returned them and got more chapters, he would proofread what I typed, often making more revisions of his own. He knew what he wanted but was receptive to my editing suggestions. Once we completed the chapters and statistics, I started to help secure the photographs, which include all of the Federal League championship teams.” 

Holl’s new narrative brought out the heart of North Canton, as Dobry could feel the connection between him and his hometown, seen in his distinctive writing. She also picked up on his amazing knowledge that he shows throughout the book. 

“Jim’s book is chock full of local history, along with football stories,” she said. “Being ‘94 years young,’ as [former Hoover varsity football coach] Don Hertler, Jr. says in his foreword, Jim enlightens the reader not only with facts, but also with his personal experiences.” 

Holl started with his love of poetry, but soon made his way into book writing. Though his path to writing wasn’t immediate, over time, Holl found himself drawn to sharing stories that connect people to their roots. 

“I thought, I wanted to do stories,” he said. “The stories from people who played, or people who never played. People who coached, teachers or people who just went to the games.” 

While working on this book together, Dobry discovered Holl’s exciting style of writing. 

“Jim has a unique perspective as a North Canton citizen, history buff, and fan of high school football,” she said. “He has an incredible memory for detail. This is his fifth book, with at least two others I am aware of that are about high school football.” 

Before starting this book, a decade prior, Holl drove cross-country down the 100th Meridian. Along the 1800 miles, Holl stopped to learn the untold stories of people in small towns. 

“There is not very much that most people would like to see along the 100th Meridian,” he said. “It’s farmland, cattle ranches, small towns and a lot of agriculture going through. I drove that all by myself and stopped along the way to interview people in small towns just about their life out there.” 

As the book began to come together, Holl and Dobry made the perfect team to tackle the workload of writing a novel. 

“Jim’s style is informative and fun, she said. While typing, I would anticipate his next thought, but he’d have a zinger of a word in there that I wasn’t expecting!” 

Holl’s dedication to community and storytelling shines through in everything he does in his most recent project. Susie V. Foundation Vice President and Hoover social studies teacher Mr. Joshua Nettleton goes into details of Holl’s contributions.

“Mr. Holl poured an incredible amount of time and passion into writing ‘100 Years of North Canton Hoover Football,’” he said. “He’s chosen to donate every dollar of profit from the book to the Susie V Foundation, which speaks volumes about his character and commitment to giving back to the community that helped shape him.”

This decision was influenced by the passing of a friend that helped with the inspiration of his book. 

“Susie [Hertler Van Vranken] passed away several years ago from ALS,” he said. “She was a very fierce defender of her father and brother [Hoover football coaches Don Hertler, Sr. and Don Hertler, Jr.]. She bled orange and black from the day she was born.” 

Holl’s generosity reflects the same spirit that defines the Susie V. Foundation. As the foundation continues to grow, Nettleton explains how its mission remains rooted in honoring Susie’s legacy and how its impact has evolved. 

“Our foundation continues to carry forward Susie Van Vranken’s legacy of kindness and generosity,” he said. “Through scholarships for graduating seniors and donations to families facing challenges such as ALS or other hardships, we’re helping others overcome obstacles and reminding them that their community stands beside them.”

Holl does more than just give his book proceeds to the foundation. On top of donations, he has a yearly scholarship given out to students following the path of trade school. 

“I have a scholarship that I give out every year,” he said. “It’s only been going on for three or four years, but the people who need scholarships now are those in the trades. Students going into trades need financial help, just like everybody else. So I said, ‘I’ll have a scholarship dedicated, especially to kids going into trade [school].’”

While the foundation’s current work touches many lives, it’s inspiring to see how much it has grown since its early days. From modest beginnings, Nettleton explains how the foundation’s generosity has steadily expanded year after year. 

“When we started in 2020, we awarded two scholarships and made a donation to the Healy Center for ALS Research,” he said. “Since then, we’ve grown every year— expanding both the number of scholarships and the reach of our giving. Today we’ve donated more than $25,000 to support students, families, and community causes that reflect Susie’s values.”