The Cockburn Cougars have locked away another important piece for their future with the extension of the contract of NBL1 West Men’s Head Coach Andrew Cooper.
Cooper is now preparing for his third season in charge at the Cougars in his first stint as a head coach in the NBL1 West competition, and showing the commitment from both club and coach, he has now re-signed for a further two seasons keeping him at the helm through the end of 2024.
Cooper arrived at the Cougars ahead of the 2020 season one of the best credentialled basketball minds in Western Australia who was just waiting for that opportunity to be a head coach in his own right at the state league level.
He has now done a strong job firstly in the West Coast Classic season of 2020 and then the inaugural NBL1 West season with the Cougars in the men’s competition with big things expected of the team again in 2022 which gets underway in a month’s time.
Cockburn Basketball Association president Travis French is excited to be able to secure Cooper for the long-term at the Cougars in charge of the men’s program for all that he brings, and for the sustained success that is the goal.
“We are grateful to have Coops. He is an extremely successful junior boys state team coach, and we feel he is the right man to lead the program and develop long-term sustainable success that we’re looking for as a club,” French said.
“Coops is passionate, he’s committed to basketball and he and his family have fully embraced being part of our community since coming across three years ago. That family connection and his passion for basketball is why we’re so happy to have him here.
“We obviously can’t expect to win championships every year, but we’d like to keep developing quality players and people who can help try and be competitive, and at least contending most years in an environment where we want to be participating in finals every year, and successful in finals.”
Cougars chief executive Tyrone Thwaites also has no doubt that Cooper is the right man to lead the Cockburn men into the future, and is excited to have secured him at least up to the end of 2024.
“Our men’s program has some very positive momentum at the moment, which is something we are very excited about,” Thwaites said.
“Coops has driven this over the past two years, and have no doubt, this momentum will continue into the future. Coops is a very smart coach, there’s no question he is the right person for us. Continuity in any program is good, but with the right people it’s great.”
For Cooper himself, it just allows him to go about his business of coaching the team and building for success right now, and for the future knowing that his time in charge is locked away.
“It’s exciting to know the club has full faith in the direction we are going and the work the athletes and coaches are doing,” Cooper said.
“We are starting to see it all come together and the future of this program is building and we are looking forward to how that comes together this year and beyond. Cockburn is the basketball home for my whole family and it’s great to be able to continue that with this group and this club.”
