Cocoa High School has hired Nate Hooks as its new head football coach, according to the school’s official Instagram page.
Hooks, who previously held head coaching jobs at Holy Trinity and Melbourne Central Catholic, replaces Ryan Schneider, who stepped down in January.
Hooks was also an assistant coach on Cocoa’s state title-winning teams in 2022 and 2024.
In between, he spent one year as MCC’s head coach.
“Cocoa High is a school of opportunity fueled by our community, and Coach Hooks lives that mission,” a statement on Instagram read.
Hooks led Holy Trinity from 2014-21 before being let go despite a 10-2 record in 2021 that included the school’s first-ever home playoff victory. He was 48-36 in his time at Holy Trinity.
He joined Cocoa’s staff as quarterbacks coach in 2022, helping the team win the Class 2S state title.
He left Cocoa following that season to become the head coach at Melbourne Central Catholic.
Hooks took a team that was 2-8 the prior season and turned it into a 9-3 team that made it to the Class 1S regional final round with a loss to eventual state runner-up Trinity Catholic of Ocala. It was the program’s best season in seven years.
However, Hooks didn’t coach the team into the playoffs that season.
Hooks initially was suspended from coaching at games in early October 2023 after an FHSAA investigation involving a claim of improper contact with players. He was originally suspended for 12 games, but that was reduced following an appeal by the school. The eventual suspension was for the rest of the 2023 season, which came to six games.
Hooks was later fired on Jan. 9, 2024, when he told FLORIDA TODAY he was told he violated the terms of his FHSAA coaching suspension by attending a boys basketball game on Nov. 29.
Hooks then returned to Cocoa High in the fall of 2024 as quarterbacks coach, when the team completed its third consecutive state title run. He held the same position in 2025.
Hooks is a Cocoa High alumnus. He replaces Schneider, who accepted the head coaching job at MCC in February.
Cocoa football has won seven state titles over the past 20 years, four under John Wilkinson, and three under Schneider.
The Tigers have won 19 consecutive regional championship titles.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Nate Hooks named new head football coach at his alma mater, Cocoa High
Reporting by Tim Walters, Florida Today / Florida Today
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
