Pioneer

Gerstmeyer High School
1965 – 1968

“Words cannot adequately describe the impact and influence Coach Cooksey has had on our Midshipmen, the Academy and the sport of Track & Field over his unparalleled career,” Director of Athletics Chet Galadchuk said. “He is ‘an icon’ in our profession and one of the most universally recognized and appreciated educators within our coaching and faculty ranks. Coach has been one of a kind, the best at everything he does. A professional role model personified, and a man who always exudes the highest values of character, integrity and competitive spirit.”

Under his watch, Navy compiled an overall dual meet record of 353 wins – 48 loss while earning 14 Patriot League team titles nine Indoor Championships and five Outdoor Championship with over 450 All Patriot League Honorees. Additional, Navy won the Heptagonal outdoor competition three straight years from 1991 – 1993 and posted back-to-back wins in the Heptagonal Indoor Championship in 1992 and 1993. The team also captured the Colonial Athletic Association crown during the 1991 season.

Cooksey’s success also carried over into Navy’s Star Meet competitions against archrival Army, where his teams own a 37-21 career mark against the Black Knights. Over the last 17 years, the team won 23-of-34 dual meets competitions against Army, including nine indoor and outdoor sweeps.

“I tell the kids over and over, you can’t just all of a sudden make it happen,” Cooksey added. “You have to put the time in, work and be patient. There has got to be some hard work and some sacrifice. If you do that, you have a greater chance of getting the job done and obtaining your goals,”

Cooksey arrived in Annapolis in 1984 and retired in August 2017.
As an associate professor in the physical education department, he was twice the recipient of the Superintendent’s Distinguished Athletic Leadership Award.

Before coming to Navy, Cooksey was the head cross-country and track and field coach at Ball State University where he began as an assistant in 1974. During his time at Ball State, Cooksey worked with 18 NCAA qualifiers, three All-Americans and an NCAA champion.
In 1998, he was named the head coach for the United States World Junior Championship team and has served as a coach on several other U.S. National teams. Most recently, Cooksey served as the head coach of the 2008 U.S. World Indoor Championship team.

His road to becoming one of the top collegiate track coaches began in Terre Haute, Indiana where he grew up. He was a Gerstmeyer HS graduate, member of the track team and received a scholarship to Indiana State University. He was a national-ranked high jumper, two-time captain, and team MVP for the ISU program. Cooksey enjoyed a decorated athletic career for the Sycamores, collecting a list of individual accolades, including NCAA All-American and U.S. Track & Field Federation All-American Honors. He was inducted into the ISU Hall of Fame in 2004.