Cooper King '23 Recruiting Profile

I’ve always loved football and been to hundreds of college games.  To be honest, I always wanted to play football but my parents were concerned about injury.  A college kicker saw one of my club soccer games and met me after the game and strongly recommended I try kicking a football.  Due to a strange Covid high school football season I stepped on the football field never having kicked a football in a game before.  In our first game, our coach called upon me to try a 41 yard field goal with 2 seconds left before half.  It was completely new to me and I was very nervous. I struck the ball...it floated toward the uprights and fell inches short of the bar.  I missed and the crowd was not supportive at all.  That was a turning point for me.  I was determined to be resilient, learn and work to overcome that failure.  I believed in myself and mentally moved on.  

From that point on, I finished the season 39 for 39 for PATs (100%) and 7 field goals with a long of 44 yards to lift our team over the conference leader for a berth in the State Championship Playoffs. By the end of the year I was ranked the number one kicker by NCHSAA for 2A in North Carolina and was awarded NCHSAA All Conference, All Region and All State as well as Special Teams Player of the Year while helping lead our football team to the State Championship semifinal as kicker including recovering an fumble and kicking a field goal in a two point win over 3 time defending state champions. 

From a very young age I’ve had the drive to compete, lead and encourage my teammates to be the best that they could be.  I love the camaraderie and the process of being part of a team that gels, improves and ultimately wins. I am searching for a college football kicking experience that will allow me to contribute to the success of the team, progress my leadership and allow me to grow in an environment that challenges me academically while preparing me for life after college.  

My coaches tell me I always work very hard, even when no one is watching.  I arrive first to practice and I am usually the last to leave.  I seek to be a positive force in life and lift others up through encouragement and listening.  Academically I thrive when challenged and this sophomore year I  successfully managed three concurrent sport seasons in Spring 2021 (Varsity Football, Varsity Soccer and Premier League Club travel soccer) while maintaining an A average in honors and AP Classes (GPA of 4.35).  I led both my varsity soccer team and club team in scoring and assists and was awarded NCHSAA All Conference and All Region honors in soccer.  

I love kicking,  thrive under pressure and I believe that working hard and putting in the effort will result in success. I have learned from that first high school kick and through tough teachers/ coaches to persevere. My high school football coach believed in me and sent me out on the field for the next kick which did not fall short.   I am looking for the right fit for my college experience where I can thrive.   High character, integrity, positive attitude, purpose and heart are attributes that make me who I am.   My hope is to find a college fit that allows me to contribute and lead as a member of a great team while growing and contributing to making the world a better place.