SCHUYLKILL HAVEN
Game balls, thank-you cards and pictures adorn the office of long-time Penn State Schuylkill athletic director John Cooper.
His office is a reflection of the type of person he is … organized and a lover of PSU and its students.
After 18 years on the job and countless accomplishments, Cooper knew the time had come to retire.
“It was tough to make that decision, but what year would be the year to break the cord?” Cooper said.
The Frackville native took over as athletic director at Penn State Schuylkill in 1997 when the Schuylkill Haven branch campus had three intercollegiate sports teams. Cooper has worked to add eight more sports teams into the mix, competing against 13 other campuses in the Penn State University Athletic Conference.
“I gradually added about two sports every two years. It took a lot of planning,” Cooper said.
His job of adding to PSU-Schuylkill’s sports teams involved getting more students enrolled, advertising for good coaches and creating a budget of more than $100,000 for transportation, meals and hotels.
On top of adding sports teams, Cooper also had a daily to-do list that included scheduling games for each week; contacting officials, referees and umpires; checking emails; attending intramural sports at lunchtime; and taking care of the game room, which Cooper helped to create.
“The game room used to be a closet across the hall from my office,” Cooper said. “We transformed it into a place where students can get together and have some fun.
“I always tell my students that the amount of time they spend in the game room, they should also spend in the library,” he said, laughing.
Cooper feels being organized and personable are the keys to being a great athletic director.
“I never let things bother me that much. I like to think I have the personality to get along with anybody,” Cooper said.
Judging by the petition that PSU-Schuylkill students made requesting Cooper not retire this year, the impact that he has made on the Penn State community is evident.
“I’ve seen thousands of students and that is what I’ll miss most,” Cooper said.
The 62-year-old has seen many PSU-Schuylkill athletic accomplishments over the years and his memories of those times will stick with him forever.
“The girls’ softball team won the state championship in 2005 and 2006,” Cooper recalled. “Then, our girls’ basketball team played for the state championship four years in a row at the Bryce Jordan Center.”
“They lost all four years, so I called their coach the Marv Levy of Penn State Schuylkill,” he said, referring to the former Buffalo Bills coach who lost four straight Super Bowls.
“As a final hurrah, my softball and baseball teams got special invitations to the Small College World Series. I’m so proud of all the athletes.”
With today being his last official day at Penn State Schuylkill, Cooper will remain active in the sports world with a part-time job at Mountain Valley Golf Course and continuing as a PIAA official for baseball, basketball and soccer.
“I began as an official 18 years ago and I will do it for as long as I am able,” the Orwigsburg resident said. “It keeps me busy, keeps me in shape and I still get to interact with students.”
Cooper has one request for the person who follows in his footsteps as athletic director:
“Please ... I’ve built this into a nice program. Please continue it and make it better.”
He also has one piece of advice.
“The toughest part about my job is getting used to last-minute changes when there’s bad weather,” Cooper said. “That’s when you have to get things in motion right away and make all the right phone calls.”
Although his friendly smile will no longer be seen on a daily basis on the Penn State Schuylkill campus, Cooper plans on using its fitness center and attending games year round.
“It’s a job people could only dream of,” Cooper said. “It was the best 18 years of my life.”