Junior Jerek Cooper helped lead the Emmaus High School Hornets to a successful season and getting runner-ups in the district finals against Parkland this past season.
Cooper is EHS football’s starting quarterback and a key player in their successful season.
Harold Fairclough has been the head varsity football coach for the Hornets for the last ten years and watched Cooper grow not only as a player but a person.
“[He’s] capable of making explosive plays at any moment. He brings an electrifying presence to the field,” Fairclough said.
In the 2024 season, Cooper had over 1,000 passing yards, over 600 rushing yards, and 42 points total. Cooper also feels that he has improved tremendously over these last three years and this year especially.
“I feel like this year personally for me went good. [I] focused a lot on growing as a leader and a teammate and putting extra work in with the team which contributed to the success we had,” Cooper said.
Fairclough also feels that Cooper is a major leader for the team. As a first year captain and junior this year, Cooper rose to the occasion and stepped up as a leader and a player.
“His leadership qualities stood out early, demonstrating maturity, responsibility, and ability to motivate others,” Fairclough said.
As an athlete, Cooper is not only dedicated to training, but he possesses a natural instinct for the game that few players have.
“What sets him apart even further is his intelligence and instinct,” Fairclough said. “Durable and resilient, he consistently performs at a high level, no matter the instances.”
Fairclough believes Cooper is a leader on the field, but a great one off of it. Not only training to be a better athlete but setting an example for his peers.
“His teammates are naturally drawn to him. Inspired by his confidence, work ethic, and genuine care for those around him,” Fairclough said.
For Cooper, all the hard work pays off when he experiences an incomparable feeling during the heat of the game.
“Playing under Friday night lights is a feeling you can’t get from many other things, so I don’t take it for granted and enjoy every second of it,” Cooper said. Cooper further expressed his feelings on how the season went.
“This past season overall went pretty good, unfortunately [we] didn’t get to win the district title like we hoped, but I believe we’ll be back for it next year,” Cooper said.
Cooper has helped lead EHS’s football teams in more ways than one and will likely continue to lead them into the future.
“Whether in the heat of competition or practice, he leads by example, pushing himself and his teammates to be their best,” Fairclough said.
