New South Carolina State President George Cooper looks like someone with an extensive athletic background.
He has a slender but imposing 6-2 frame similar to a sprinter and starts his day at 5 a.m. by sauntering around the track at the Lorry H. Dawkins Track and Field Facility.
Ask about Cooper and his athletic prowess, however, and it’s considerably on the modest side.
“I’m the non-athlete in my family,” he said. “As a youngster, I swam in the intramural leagues in Tallahassee, Fla. I was second and third and didn’t win. I’ve been an avid racquetball player. A, B class racquetball player. Played in some state tournaments there.
“For the last 2 1/2 years, I’ve been an avid golfer and I plan to go on the Senior PGA circuit sometime in the next few months. That’s my aspiration. I don’t play that well.”
Cooper is more than willing to boast about his competitive spirit and expectations about S.C. State athletics. In his view, a winning program plays an integral role in helping a university accomplish its mission of developing future leaders.
“I hope (the alumni are) so excited about the winning season that they’re going to reach in their pockets and contribute to South Carolina State University because we are winners in football and basketball and tennis and golf and softball,” he said. “That’s how you rally folks for support for the university. So I’m going to take advantage of the winning football season and I hope alumni are just excited and they’re going to dig deep down in their pockets and say ‘here’s some more money to help you recruit students and give scholarships and do other things that support athletics at South Carolina State.’”
At the same time, Cooper believes S.C. State has done everything within its power to create an environment for the student-athletes to achieve success.
“I think we have one of the highest athletic budgets in the MEAC,” Cooper said. “We’re providing $9.5 million dollars and when you make that type of investment, it shows that you’re serious about your school. You can’t do more than that. You provide the resources. You hire the best coaches. You provide the facilities to train. You talk to students about winning and representing the university in their sport? What else can you do?”
Ultimately, Cooper wants the complete student-athlete, one who excels both on the playing field and in the classroom.
“As any President, I want to be competitive in athletics,” he said. “But when I look at student-athletes. I want them first to be good students. I want them to do well in classes as I expect of all students who come to South Carolina State and I want them to earn a degree so that they can be contributors to society when they leave the university. If I say that, that sets the context in terms of why we all are here at South Carolina State University. Academics come first.
“Athletics are important because if you don’t have strong sports teams, students are not going to come and alumni are not going to be happy with the university. So it’s an important part of my vision for the university to be strong academically, to be competitive in the MEAC, to win the conference championship and we may get to play in some other games after the season.”
In his conversations with student-athletes, coaches and Athletics Director Charlene Johnson, Cooper is encouraged with the enthusiasm and pride he’s seen from them in terms of attending S.C. State and wanting to compete for conference titles.
“I can tell you that none of our athletic teams are playing to lose,” Cooper said. “They play to win. We hire the best coaches that we can hire. We recruit the best athletes that we can and when they go on the field, they go to represent South Carolina State University. Even though I have not talked to the softball team, the tennis team, the track team, I’m telling you they’re coming to win. Other teams are recruiting the best athletes, the best coaches, the best facilities and they want their teams to win too. I’d like to see us be 100 percent in every sport that we compete in, but it’s not going to happen.”
In terms of facilities, Cooper wants to be held accountable for three standards when it comes to maintaining them:
1. The school meeting NCAA standards.
2. The school comparing favorably with other MEAC schools.
3. Making sure the facilities are the quality to where the health and safety of the student-athletes are not compromised.
Overall, Cooper has great confidence in the athletics program to the point where he’s not shy about making preseason prognosications for the football team.
“I think we’re going to be conference champs,” Cooper said. “That’s what I’ve heard from the coach (Oliver “Buddy” Pough). That’s what I heard from the football players. So I’m going to be bragging and I’m going to tell all of the competitors that we’re playing that we’re coming to win.”
One of those competititors Cooper has already put on notice is his alma mater - Florida A&M University - whom S.C. State faces Oct. 4 in Tallahassee.
“I’m an alumnus of FAMU and I’ve already sent my bragging letter to President Emmons,” Cooper said. “I said I’m a FAMU graduate, but when I come, I’m going to be rooting for the Bulldogs and we’re coming to win. What else can I say? What else can I do?”
Cooper plans to be an active fan at games, even going as far as dining with tailgaters. While mingling with the tailgaters, however, Cooper plans to implore them to buy a ticket and support all the school’s sports.
“They’re going in the stadium,” he said. “If I find out that they’re not going in the stadium and I come by to tailgate the next time, I won’t stop by and visit them. I hope they’re not just coming to eat and have a good time. They’re going to buy some season tickets and they’re coming to see us win. Otherwise, they can’t talk about Bulldog sports. If they’re not buying tickets to come into the game, then I don’t want to talk to them about the sports activities that we have. They’re lukewarm. They don’t have the same excitement that I have.
“A Bulldog supporter is going to buy a ticket and come in to see the football game or they’re going to buy a ticket to see the basketball game. That’s a Bulldog supporter. Those are people I want to talk to.”
T&D Senior Sports Writer Thomas Grant Jr. can be reached by e-mail at tgrant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5547. Discuss this and other stories on-line at TheTandD.com.