East Ridge names Jon Hooper soccer president

photo Stump Martin
Arkansas-Ole Miss Live Blog

East Ridge's new recreation chief seemed to be trying to alleviate the controversy between the city and the established East Ridge Soccer Association with his first appointment.

Jon Hooper, a former ERSA president, was named to oversee the soccer branch of the parks and recreation department during a meeting Monday of the newly created 15-member East Ride Soccer Advisory Board.

"I was thrilled to appoint Jon Hooper as the city's president of soccer," parks and recreation director Stump Martin said in a released statement. "Mr. Hooper served as president of ERSA from 2002 to 2005 before he was transferred to Chicago by his company."

Martin said Hooper was highly recommended and wants to get involved again.

"I have always loved soccer and I think this program can be great," Hooper said. "If you want to build a good program, you have to build it right."

The advisory board recommended that soccer in the city play under the banner of East Ridge Futbol Club.

Signups for soccer as well as baseball and softball are going on now, and the recreation season is scheduled to start on March 17, Martin said.

The soccer fee will be $80 per child and registrations will be held Thursday through Saturday at the East Ridge Community Center and Camp Jordan Arena -- 5-8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday. Final signups are March 3 from 10 to 3.

Select signups will start in June.

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