Oswego East Student Athlete of the Week-Jack Cooper

Oswego East lineman Jack Cooper (pictured above #54) looks to the sideline for the next play.

Senior Jack Cooper has the physical tools every coach looks for in a lineman; he is big, strong, physical, and has a relentless motor. Jack also holds himself and his teammates accountable, and he pushes everyone around him to improve. Although strong and relentless, Jack never stops finding ways to improve himself, which is why he is this week’s Oswego East student athlete of the week.

As the Wolves varsity football team goes into their rival game at 5-0 with crosstown foe Oswego, “Coop” does not feel the need to do anything different than usual. Because whether it’s crosstown week or a hot and humid mid-July practice, Jack pushes himself to improve on every aspect of his game.

Football has always been a passion for Jack, beginning when he was in only 2nd grade. His mother, Kimberly Cooper, understands just how important football is to Jack,“each year, [Jack] has matured as a stronger player and teammate,” says Kim. She goes on to add, “Jack never gives up. He has had ups and downs in the game and continues to do his best and never look back.”

Although Jack plays some defensive line, offensive line is where he excels. Most offensive lineman prefer run blocking to pass blocking because it allows offensive players to impose their will on the defense. Pass blocking requires finesse and technique and is usually more difficult because offensive players can not be as aggressive.

Dru Filkins, Oswego East’s varsity offensive line coach, understands just how hard Jack has worked to improve his pass blocking, and what kind of sacrifices he has made for the betterment of the team. “Jack was able to make a position change late in the summer, from center to right guard, and he took that switch and ran with it,” says Filkins. He goes on to add, “[Jack] is a vital piece to our offensive line, both in the run game and in the passing game, and is one of our leaders up front. Jack has improved greatly in his pass protection by doing the small things.”

With so much occurring on any given play in a football game, outside observers may not recognize all of the technique and minute details being played out in every one on one battle across the field. Veteran coaches and football minds understand that it’s these little things, more often than not, that determine the difference between success and failures. Jack’s drive to better himself means he works harder at the little things than his opponents, because he knows in tough situations he will have the advantage.

Jack has never allowed his passion for football to interfere with his goals off the field. In fact, his attention to detail is what helps him achieve as much success in the classroom as he does on the gridiron.
Having earned a 1220 on the SAT and a 3.71 cumulative G.P.A., Jack has positioned himself to attend any number of universities or colleges around the country. He has been offered an opportunity to play football at Trinity International University on a scholarship, and continues to hear from Division III and NAIA schools who want Jack to come to their university as a student athlete.

Jack is hoping he can use football as a vehicle to achieve other goals in life. He plans on majoring in either Civil Engineering, or Political Science and moving on to law school. Jack has taken advantage of OE’s vast course catalog, taking AP Comparative government and AP government, as well as a variety of engineering courses.

Anthony Holub, who has taught Jack many of his engineering courses, believes Jack diplays all the necessary traits to succeed in any endeavor he chooses. “Jack possesses outstanding work ethic, and easily works well both independently, and in a collaborative setting,” says Anthony. He goes on to add, “Jack’s curiosity and willingness to go the extra mile in class are the hallmarks of any successful students and will serve him well should he choose a career in engineering.”

Jack is hoping that OE football can continue breaking their own records, and is hoping there is a conference championship and deep playoff run in their future. Tonight’s game against crosstown rival Oswego will go a long way in answering whether those goals can become true. As he reflects on his past three years, Jack advises future Wolves to, “work hard in everything you do, because it is the biggest thing that will help you achieve your goals.” The OE community hopes the hard work of Jack and his teammates will help them reach one goal the school has never completed, beating crosstown rival Oswego High School.