Crosby-Ironton Athletics Remembers Paul Hoge

The Crosby-Ironton Basketball coaching staff has been a tight knit group that has been together for more than twenty years. But on Friday, the program lost one of its own as assistant coach Paul Hoge lost his battle with cancer.

“Paul’s been on my left side for 21 years, and that will never change,” Crosby-Ironton Boys Basketball Assistant Coach Neil Tesdahl said.

Paul Hoge was a man that wore many hats, but what he will be remembered for most is his continued involvement with Crosby-Ironton Athletics.

“Even with football, he’d be at every game, even away games; if it’s two hours away, he’d be there watching,” Bryan Syrstad, Crosby-Ironton Football Coach, said. “He might be on the radio with the radio guy, he’s just always there for C.I Athletics.”

Hoge was an assistant coach for the varsity basketball team, he was the head coach of the freshman squad, helped with the elementary program, and did most of the fundraising for the team.

“You know, as an assistant, a few of the characteristics you look at is loyalty, and Paul was certainly very, very loyal,” Crosby-Ironton Boys Basketball Head Coach Dave Galovich said. “very hard-working as well, and then maybe the most important was just, he was a caring individual.”

No matter the circumstances on or off the field, Paul was there to help.

“He’d be willing to help anybody, whether it was school related, his church, or his family, or our community here, he would just drop everything and do it,” Tesdahl said.

Hoge’s passion for athletics and helping others is unmatched, and he leaves a void in the Crosby-Ironton program that will be almost impossible to fill.

“With the responsibilities and duties that he had, the personality he had, and you see someone you get attached to for the last 21 years, you just don’t replace that overnight,” Galovich said.

Hoge was named the assistant coach of the year as the Rangers were the runner-ups in this year’s state tournament.

Paul Hoge was just 61.