32°24′23″N 99°44′56″W / 32.4063°N 99.7488°W / 32.4063; -99.7488

O.H. Cooper High School
Address
3639 Sayles Blvd

Abilene, Texas 79605

United States
Information
School typePublic high school
Established1960
School districtAbilene Independent School District
PrincipalLyndsey Williamson
Staff124.99 (FTE)[1]
Grades9-12
Enrollment1,799 (2020–21)[1]
Student to teacher ratio14.39[1]
Color(s)    Royal Blue and Scarlet
Athletics conferenceUIL Class AAAAA
MascotCougar
NicknameCoogs
Feeder schoolsMadison & Clack middle schools
WebsiteCooper High School

O.H. Cooper High School (commonly referred to as Abilene Cooper) is a public high school located in Abilene, Texas. It opened in 1960, in part to handle the increase in school age youth resulting from the Post World War II Baby Boom. It is one of three 4-year high schools within Abilene Independent School District.

Cooper High is named for Oscar Henry Cooper, who was president of Baylor University from 1898 to 1902.[2] Prior to such time, his advocacy for a state-supported and state-controlled university led to the establishment of the University of Texas.[3] After his time at Baylor, Dr. Cooper was president of Hardin–Simmons University in Abilene until 1909. Thereafter, he headed "Cooper's Boys' School" in Abilene until 1915.[4]

Faculty and academics

Abilene is the home of Dyess Air Force Base and Cooper students have benefited from retired officers, and spouses of officers, from Dyess becoming teachers at Cooper. Retired US Air Force Colonel James Alderman, a mathematics and science teacher at the school, explained to his students that he worked on the development of the Gamma Ray Spectrometer and did research relating to nuclear fusion while in the United States Air Force. Retired US Air Force Colonel James Zumwalt taught Honors Calculus and, in 1981–1982, was zoo keeper over his homeroom class that called itself the "Zoo." Members of the Zoo included many of the top graduating students in 1982 and yet still managed to win the intramural sports championship.[5]

In the years 1979 to 1982, Cooper consistently fielded teams for UIL competitions that finished in the top of their subject areas, including Speech, Creative Writing, Orchestra, Math, Band, and Choir. Cooper graduates frequently were named as Scholars, Finalists, Semi-finalists, and Commended by the National Merit Scholarship Program. Six members of the Class of 1982 received the Scholar designation.[6]

Athletics

Volleyball

The Cooper High School Volleyball Team won the state 4A championship in 1967, defeating San Antonio Harlandale 15-0; 11-15; 15-7.

Golf

The Cooper High School Golf Team won the 5A State Championship in 1982, 1983, and 1984.

Bob Estes, Class of 1984, won the individual state title in 1983.[7] As a collegiate golfer at the University of Texas, Bob was selected as an All-American,[8] received the Jack Nicklaus award, and was named 1988 College Player of the Year.[9][10] Mike Standly, Class of 1982, played for the University of Houston, finished in second place to Scott Verplank at the 1986 NCAA championship, won his first tournament in 1993, the Freeport-McMoRan Classic in New Orleans,[11] and can still be found on professional golf tours.[12]

Tennis

The Cooper High School Tennis Team has made appearances at the Texas state competition 8 times in its history Archived 2007-11-10 at the Wayback Machine, ranking 5th in the state for all-time appearances in conference 5A. It competed in 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1992 and won the championship for three consecutive years in 1993, 1994 and 1995.

Ricky Meyers won the state singles title in 1976 and Ryan Hughes did the same in 1995. David Meyers and Scott Meyers (identical twins) won boys doubles state in 1982. Archived 2007-03-09 at the Wayback Machine

Jana Hanks won the state singles title in 1975 and 1976, Susie Ingram and Julie Jones won the state doubles title in 1976, and Leanne Hill and Stephanie Burnam won the state doubles title in 1982. Archived 2007-03-09 at the Wayback Machine

As of November, 2009, The Cooper Tennis Team is ranked 8th in the state in conference 4A.

Tennis State Championships

Baseball

Baseball teams from Cooper won the state championship game in 1987 and 1988.

Gymnastics

Cooper has won the following titles:

Gymnastics Championships

  • Men[14]
    • 1973 – Donovan Sparhawk(Parallel Bars)
    • 1975 – Steve Rutledge (Rings)
    • 1976 – Steve Rutledge (Rings)
    • 1978 – Larry Hanson (Floor)
    • 1979 – Team Champions: David Hardy (Floor), David Watson, (Parallel Bars), J.T. Fletcher (Pommels, Vault, High Bar, All-Around)
    • 1983 – Bobby Cluck (Pommels), David Henson (High Bar)
    • 1984 – David Henson (High Bar)
    • 1988 – Greg Joyner (Vault, High Bar)
    • 1989 – Chris Reese (Rings), Greg Joyner (Vault)
    • 1990 – Andrew Clamann (Pommels)
    • 1991 – Team Champions: Andrew Clamann (Pommels), Jimmy Chai Kong (Rings), Greg Clark (Parallel Bars)
    • 1992 – Team Champions: Landon King (Rings), Eddie Marentes (Parallel Bars)
    • 1993 – Landon King (Rings, Parallel Bars)
    • 2003 – Nate Dalo (Rings)
  • Women[15]
    • 1978 – Cathy Cubine (Bars)
    • 1979 – Cathy Cubine (Beam, All-Around)
    • 1980 – Cathy Cubine (Bars, Floor, All-Around), Missy Urquhart (Vault)
    • 1981 – Missy Urquhart (Bars, Beam, Floor)

Football

Professional Players

Dominic Rhodes[16] and Justin Snow[17] were members of the 2007 NFL champion Indianapolis Colts.

Ray Berry played for the Minnesota Vikings and Seattle Seahawks from 1987 to 1993

Terry Orr played for the Washington Redskins and San Diego Chargers from 1986 to 1993

Fine arts

Cooper enjoys a rich tradition of success in various branches of the fine and performing arts. 215 individuals have been named to the Texas All-State roster, with at least one Cooper student making All-State Choir, Band or Orchestra every year since 1971. Choir, Band, Orchestra, Art and Theater are all thriving on campus. One of Cooper's two feeder middle schools, Madison, has become the Abilene ISD magnet middle school for fine arts.

Band has a rich and proud history at Cooper High School. Often among the largest high school marching bands in Texas in the 1980s and 1990s, the band made frequent appearances at the State Marching Contest.[18] The band marched in the 1990 Rose Parade,[19] one of only a handful of Texas High School bands to have ever done so. The band is currently led by head director Clay Johnson, a former University of Oklahoma drum major who has directed the band since 2003, first as assistant for two years. Since 2005, three former Cooper Band members have been named drum major at Texas Tech University.

TMEA All-State Musicians

Cooper has had over 200 individuals be named to Texas All-State Bands, Choirs and Orchestras since 1971.[20]

Band

  • Piccolo – 4: 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999
  • Flute – 10: 1975, 1976, 1977, 1986, 1987 (2), 1993, 1997, 2000, 2001
  • Bb Clarinet – 15: 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1992 (2), 1993, 1994 (2), 1995, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2012
  • Bass Clarinet – 2: 1988, 2021
  • Oboe – 5: 1975, 1976, 1977, 1996, 2023
  • Bassoon – 3: 1972, 1974, 1975
  • Alto Saxophone – 6: 1993, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2018
  • Baritone Saxophone – 1: 2006
  • Cornet/Trumpet – 8: 1986 (2), 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1996, 2000
  • Horn – 4: 1971, 1974, 2020, 2022
  • Tenor Trombone – 14: 1986 (2), 1987 (2), 1988, 1989, 1992, 1995 (2), 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005
  • Bass Trombone – 2: 1984, 1985
  • Euphonium – 4: – 2001, 2004, 2006, 2008
  • Tuba – 2: – 2009, 2010
  • Percussion – 10: 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1996, 2001, 2019, 2023
  • Harp – 1: 1972

Choir

  • Soprano 1 – 8: 1975, 1980, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1991, 1996, 2003
  • Soprano 2 – 20: 1975 (2), 1976, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1989 (2), 1995, 1998, 1999 (2), 2001, 2002, 2003 (3), 2004, 2005
  • Alto 1 – 18: 1972, 1974, 1975 (2), 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984 (3), 1989, 1992, 1996, 1997 (2), 1999, 2003
  • Alto 2 – 13: 1975, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 2001, 2005
  • Tenor 1 – 12: 1974, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1995
  • Tenor 2 – 16: 1974, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1990, 1991, 1992 (2), 1993 (2), 2004, 2005, 2011
  • Bass 1 – 11: 1977, 1982, 1985 (2), 1986, 1988, 1989, 1994, 2002, 2004 (2)
  • Bass 2 – 10: 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977 (2), 1985, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1995

Orchestra

  • Oboe - 1: 1974
  • Violin 1 – 4: 1972, 1974, 1993, 1994
  • Violin 2 – 2: 1973, 1974
  • Cello – 5: 1972, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1990
  • String Bass – 7: 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1999, 2001

Notable alumni

References

  1. 1 2 3 "COOPER H S". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
  2. ↑ Oscar Henry Cooper at the Baylor University website Archived 2006-09-14 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ↑ Cooper at the University of Texas website
  4. ↑ Roots Web
  5. ↑ Abilene Reporter-News, May 27, 1982, "Theory of Zoo-itivity: We – MC2"
  6. ↑ Abilene Reporter-News, April 23, 1982, page B1
  7. ↑ "UIL State Boys Golf Champions". Archived from the original on 2007-03-14. Retrieved 2007-03-10.
  8. ↑ 1994 Colonial Golf Tournament program "Colonial Suits Texans to a Tee" May 1994, page 20
  9. ↑ TheGoal.com: Bob Estes
  10. ↑ Bob Estes Archived 2007-09-21 at the Wayback Machine
  11. ↑ 1994 Colonial Golf Tournament program "Colonial Suits Texans to a Tee" May 1994, page 22
  12. ↑ PGATOUR.com - Mike Standly Stats Archived 2007-09-30 at the Wayback Machine
  13. ↑ "UIL Team Tennis State Champions". Archived from the original on 2015-10-24. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
  14. ↑ Texas High School Gymnastics Coaches Association Men's Champions History Archived 2011-07-28 at the Wayback Machine
  15. ↑ Texas High School Gymnastics Coaches Association Women's Champions History Archived 2011-07-28 at the Wayback Machine
  16. ↑ Dominic Rhodes at pro-football-reference.com
  17. ↑ Justin Snow at pro-football-reference.com
  18. ↑ UIL State Marching Contest Archives Archived 2015-10-03 at the Wayback Machine
  19. ↑ Cooper HS Timeline Archived 2012-03-01 at the Wayback Machine
  20. ↑ TMEA All-State History Roster Archived 2015-11-14 at the Wayback Machine

See also

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