Friends Express Condolences to Family of Riverview High School Student

Condolences continue to pour in on the Legacy.com online guestbook as those who knew her attempt to come to terms with the death of Riverview High School student Brooke Ann Coats.

Coats died Friday night from injuries sustained when she she fell off and was reportedly kicked by the bull she was riding during a bull-riding competition. The accident occurred at Remington Rough Stock's Tampa Bull Riding rodeo on U.S. 301 South near the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway, owned by former professional bull rider Corey Costa.

According to Michael Baxley, a regular at the rodeo and best friend of Costa’s, Coats was an experienced amateur bull rider who was on hand every first and third Friday of the month for each rodeo at the facility, willing to try her hand at riding a 2,000-pound bull.

He said she loved the sport and was wearing all of the protective head and body geared required of amateur riders when the accident occurred.

He said there’s never been any other deaths at the bull-riding facility.

Costa did not return phone calls.

At Riverview High School, a message on the school marquee read “In memory of Brooke Coats, REST IN PEACE.”

There was no one home at the Coats family home to comment on Saturday. Coats leaves behind her parents, Keith and Susan, and a brother, Austin.

As of Sunday, the Legacy guestbook in her honor contained 13 pages of condolences including one from Sheri Burgroff of Brandon who called Coats “an awesome young lady.”

“When I think of Brooke, I think of light. She always lit up a room,” said Burgroff.

In a phone conversation, Burgroff, who had known the Riverview girl since she was a baby, recalled how people criticized her participation in the dangerous sport of bull-riding after she was injured last year and had to have stitches for a cut on her thigh.

"Susan, her mother, I think, gave the best response when she said more teens die in car accidents than riding bulls," said Burgroff. "She said she loves it and we’re not going to deny her this.

"She was so proud of her parents for allowing her to do this," said Burgroff. "She was such a brave girl. There wasn't anything she wasn't afraid to tackle."

In addition to her love of bull-riding, Coats had a lifelong affinity for animals. The owner of three dogs, she was also a member of a 4-H club and had just shown a pig at the Florida State Fair, winning two blue ribbons."

"She just loved animals," said Burgroff. "She thought about being a veterinarian."

A popular student at Riverview High School who got good grades, the junior was also a member of the band, swim, tennis and drama teams at Riverview and a wrestlerette, a group of girls at Riverview High School that support the boys’ wrestling team.

"She was so popular because she was always friendly to everybody," said Burgroff. "She was just the sweetest little girl from the time she was a baby -- fun loving and sweet.

Coats was also close to her older brother, Austin, who did not ride bulls.

"They were best friends as well as brother and sister. How often does that happen?" asked Burgroff.