HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – “People always use the cliche of ‘This is my Alabama,’ well this is my Alabama, 100 percent,” said Dustin Lopez during a press conference at HHS Monday afternoon. With Mayor J.R. Knight and members of the media present, he was named the new head coach for the Hopkinsville High School Tigers football team.
“Hopkinsville football has got a storied tradition of excellence from coaches,” Lopez said. “I’m just honored to be a part of that fraternity now.”
As a graduate of Hopkinsville High and a 10-year assistant football coach with the Tigers, Lopez feels prepared to take on the role.
“I am so excited; I want to impact our guys and our community and make sure they know the true definition of being a student athlete,” said Lopez, who also emphasized the importance of players staying strong in the classroom, which carries over to the field.
Lopez credited his mentors for getting him where he is and teaching him how to do things the right way. He is focusing on building his staff and is on the hunt for assistant coaches.
“I love Hopkinsville, I love Hopkinsville Tiger football, and I’m really excited to get going and get us back to where we need to be,” Lopez said.
Lopez brings 16 years of coaching experience to the position with stops in Tennessee and Kentucky, according to a news release from Christian County Public Schools. He was named the Metro-Nashville Assistant Coach of the Year by the Tennessee Tribune in 2015 and has numerous district, regional and state tournament coaching appearances. He is the father of two children, KJ and Trinitee.
“We are pleased to welcome Coach Lopez as our head football coach,” said HHS Principal Cindy Campbell. “Coach Lopez has always displayed a level of enthusiasm for the game and been a positive role model in our schools for our students. We have no doubt Coach Lopez will do a phenomenal job in leading the Tiger football program.”