Dana Cooke

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Dana Cooke is a Canadian athlete who played volleyball and soccer.

[edit] Life

Dana was a Burlington Central High School Trojan from 1989 to 1993. Although she played both soccer and volleyball, she made volleyball her single sport focus when she turned 16. She joined the then newly formed Waterdown Raiders Club team as a middle blocker. Following her first season with the Raiders she was selected for the Ontario Provincial team at the age of 15.

In the spring of 1991, Dana suffered a broken right lower leg during gym class requiring orthopedic surgery. Following the injury she returned to the Raiders only to re-break the same bones at her very first practice back. Despite being out of the gym for almost 2 years, Dana returned to her club team in the spring of 1993 and was able to join them for their final tournament, the Ontario Provincials. It was here that she was scouted by Michigan State University and offered a full athletic scholarship.

While at Michigan State, Dana helped the Spartans not only get out of the conference basement, but helped them win 2 conference titles in 4 years. She was a part of the first MSU volleyball team to make an appearance at the coveted Final Four in the NCAA Tournament in 1996. During her junior year she was awarded First Team All American by the ACVA (American Coaches Volleyball Association).

After her success at Michigan State, Dana spent two seasons playing professionally in Holland as well as coaching a Dutch elite youth boys’ team. After returning to Burlington in 1999, in between volleyball contracts, she took on the assistant coaching of the McMaster Men’s Varsity program. After being awarded the Head Coaching position with the McMaster Men’s team, she coached them to the semi finals of the OUAA West each of the two seasons she was there.

With the bug to play still in her, Dana returned to Holland in 2002 for a final half season of competition where her team, Longa ‘50 competed in the prestigious Dutch Cup championship.

Most recently you will find Dana coaching locally with the Burlington Blaze Volleyball Club. For the 2003-2004 season her U14 girls’ team achieved the club’s only gold medal. She still competes herself with the Senior Women’s Blaze team who took silver at the 2005 Ontario Championships.

Note: The Dana Cooke described above is only one of a large number of accomplished, talented people sharing that name. The full list is compiled at the Dana Cooke Project website, http://www.danacooke.com/danacooke.html.

Currently Dana's career took a surprising turn. Trying out for the Canadian beach volleyball team, she was offered a partnership with one of the top female competitors in the world, Sherbrooke's Annie Martin. 2007 will see the two of them competing as a new pair on the FIVB tour, with an eventual goal of qualifying for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

[edit] Highlights

• Professionally:
  • 2003: NEVOBO Eredivisie-Longa 50- Lichtenvoorde, Netherlands
  • 1998 - 1999: NEVOBO Eredivisie- Schipper Kozijnen Martinus -Amstelveen, Netherlands
  • 1997 - 1998: NEVOBO Eredivisie- Dick de Lange VOLCO-Ommen, Netherlands

• Team Awards:
  • 1995 - 1996: Michigan State University 2 time Big Ten Champions
  • 1995: NCAA Mountain Region Tournament Champions
  • 1995: NCAA Tournament Final Four Appearance (finished 3rd in the NCAA)
  • 1996: Ranked #1 in the NCAA by Volleyball Magazine and ACVA

• Individual Awards:
  • 1997: Received Michigan State Chester Brewer Leadership Award
  • 1996: Selected AVCA First Team All American
  • 1995: NCAA Tournament Mountain Region MVP
  • 1995: October - Selected NCAA Division I National Player of the Week
  • 1995, 1996: NCAA Regional All Tournament team
  • 1995, 1996: First Team All Big Ten

• Academic Awards:
  • 1996: GTE Academic All-America First Team
  • 1995: GTE Academic All-America Third Team
  • 1995, 1996: GTE Academic All-District First Team
  • 1994, 1995, 1996: Academic All Big Ten