A Different Path: Cooper Head's Journey to High School Basketball

There is a mini hoop in Cooper Head's bedroom that has been there about as long as he can remember. He shot on it as a little kid, and he still does from time to time, even now that his days include three trips to the gym.

At home, Coop, as he is also known, is a regular kid. He likes to relax, talk to his friends and play the game. The difference is how much of his life he has already rearranged around that last part.

This year, Cooper is not in a school building. His parents raised the idea of reclassifying him because he was one of the youngest in his original grade, and homeschooling came with it. He likes the setup. He can work at his own pace, and the open hours go straight into training.

It has not been free. His old classmates moved on without him, and the everyday conversations stopped being everyday. The moments that sting come through his phone, when he sees them online at pep rallies, doing the ordinary things kids do at school.

"I understand that these are small sacrifices I have to make to be great," he said.

Three Sessions a Day

A normal weekday starts at 8 a.m. with schoolwork and breakfast, which is either a protein shake or whatever his mom is cooking. By noon he is in the gym with trainer Jordan Coleman for a 90-minute session. Lunch is at 2, usually a Chipotle bowl or a sandwich from Jersey Mike's.

At 3 he is back with Coleman, this time on the shooting machine, working on his form for an hour and a half. A second workout runs from 4:30 to 6. He goes home for dinner, then heads out again for an 8 p.m. session with Jazz Ross that wraps at 9:30.

He is home around 10. Shower, snack, and in bed by 10:30 if things go to plan. Twice a week he also strength trains with Coach Matt at Hustle House. Friday is for recovery.

A lot of that work is aimed at one problem. Cooper is a smaller guard who will be going up against bigger bodies in high school, and he has decided his answer is defense and toughness. He wants to be more aggressive on that end of the floor and stronger, both physically and mentally. So in training he guards players who are older, bigger and stronger than he is, betting that it carries over when the games count.

Learning to Run the Show

The bigger change over the past year has been in how he sees the game. Cooper used to measure himself by points. Now he talks about controlling the pace, making plays for other people and being the kind of point guard his team and coaches can count on to lead.

"Before, all I wanted to do is score," he said. "Now I want to win."

His father has been in his corner the whole way, and Cooper is honest about what that looks like. His dad can be an intimidating presence at games. Over time, Cooper has learned to block out the sideline, trust his instincts and lean on the work he has put in.

They have had their disagreements. His dad has sometimes felt he was not playing hard enough, in workouts and in games. Cooper's side is that there are days when he is worn down, physically and mentally, and it shows. The two of them are getting better at understanding how he approaches the game, he said, and he is learning how to get his body ready before he plays or trains.

The lessons that have stuck the longest are not about basketball. Be a good person. Carry yourself with integrity on the court and off it. Respect the game and yourself even when things are not going your way. Keep your faith in God and trust that what is meant for you will be yours. Cooper said those words make more sense to him the older he gets, and he is quick to add that he is grateful for both his mom and his dad.

Camera On, Camera Off

Much of this is being documented. Videographer TQ MIXES connected with Cooper through Coleman, reached out when Cooper was in seventh grade and showed up to one of his games. They have been locked in since.

Cooper was shy about it early on and did not want a lens on him that much. That passed. He says the camera now pushes him to work harder, and the footage gives him something most players his age do not have: a record of how far he has come.

The relationship goes past the videos. This past summer TQ traveled with him to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, to film his games. Afterward, the two of them would get shots up on the outdoor court at the hotel and talk about basketball and life. At one point they spotted a bear. Cooper calls TQ a friend, a mentor and one of his biggest supporters.

When the camera is off, he is a kid who plays Minecraft and goes on movie dates with his mom. He is also getting into fashion, starting from the ground up. He likes to wear unusual socks when he plays, and he thinks style might be something he pursues one day.

What Comes Next

High school is close, and Cooper is looking forward to it. When the time comes to pick one, he and his family want a school with a strong education and a good community of people around him.

Asked what he hopes is true when he reads this story years from now, he did not mention rankings or offers. He wants to be known as a hard worker who overcame adversity. He wants to be a household name. And he wants to be the best person he can be.

Until then, the mini hoop is still up in his room.