Dragon Tale - The considerable athletics program at The John Cooper School

THE WOODLANDS, TX – When people think about The John Cooper School, what usually comes to mind? For many of us who went to public schools, it’s the prestige, traditions, polished hallways, and even the uniforms each student is required to wear. We tend not to think about the similarities between these public and private institutions, since many things we find in our own schools also appear in the private school world. Athletics is something we value heavily in the Woodlands area, and, much like their public-school counterparts, The John Cooper School is equally serious about its athletic programs.

So what does an athletic program at a place like John Cooper look like compared to what we are used to? Well, in all honesty, it’s practically the same as you’d find anywhere else in The Woodlands, except on a smaller scale, of course. Don’t let that small size fool you, though, as sports at John Cooper are just as competitive, with multiple different sports for students to participate in. In fact, the small size can often be a benefit for those looking to be more involved in the sports they love to play. Smaller teams lead to more opportunities for students to get involved, and that, in turn, makes athletes more willing to try different things and see what works for them. It allows students who may never have a chance to play at a big public school the opportunity to get playing time and experience growth that might have been impossible in a larger team setting. High school sports are all about learning at the end of the day. Sure, you want to win, but for lots of students, sports is a chance to meet new people and do things you would normally never get to do. John Cooper’s athletic program aims to do exactly this, and getting their students involved is one of their top priorities. Being active and participating in sports creates a well-rounded individual, something John Cooper wants out of every student, as those types of students often find success long after they leave.

As you’ll see throughout, The John Cooper School offers many sports to choose from, giving students opportunities in a wide range of sports, and they only seem to be adding more. In February, the school announced it would be adding a brand-new lacrosse program to the school’s already impressive list of sports. Lacrosse is one of the fastest-growing sports in the country, and it’s not a surprise it’s now cropping up at John Cooper. Internally, John Cooper is confident in this next step, with Dr. Stephen Popp, Head of The John Cooper School, saying, “This program reflects our continued dedication to enhancing the student experience through opportunities that support growth in athletics, teamwork, and character. At Cooper, we are committed to building athletes who are “mentally strong, physically fit, and emotionally intelligent.” It’s just another step for John Cooper toward becoming a school that does everything it can to improve its students and prepare them to become successful men and women in the future. For the full story on this program, we covered it here on Woodlands Online, so be sure to check it out.

Now let's dive in to see how some of these teams performed over the school year to give us a better understanding of John Cooper’s athletic program. John Cooper’s main teams, such as football, baseball, soccer, and basketball, all compete in the Southwest Prep 4A district. This district includes many other private institutions you might have heard of, such as Episcopal, Kinkaid, or St. John's. There are differences across sports, as not all private schools have every type of team available. For example, the football district includes a couple of schools, while the basketball district includes more. Still, John Cooper is usually grouped with other Houston private schools, and that’s where most of their games are played.

Starting with football, this past season was a solid one for the John Cooper Dragons, as they finished 7-2 with a 3-2 district record. Although that only resulted in a 3rd-place finish in the district, it was a much-needed improvement over 2024’s campaign, when they struggled for most of the season. In 2025, they started the year strong, winning 7 games straight and taking down some solid competition from outside the district. They faltered in their final 2 games, losing to Kinkaid and Episcopal in the final stretch, but it was a solid season overall for the Dragons. Leading the charge this season was QB Colson Collins, who had an incredible statistical season. Collins threw for 2379 yards and 32 TDs, all while throwing only 3 interceptions. His 450 total rushing yards were 2nd on the team, showing the QB’s talent as both a passer and a rusher. Collins had multiple options to throw to, with 2 WRs achieving 800+ yards this season. First up was Joe Norman, who recorded 806 total receiving yards and 12 TDs on 66 catches throughout the season. Norman, who is only a freshman, was a reliable target for Collins and led the team in targets in the 2025 season. On the other end is Eric Sipko, a senior who recorded 867 yards and 14 TDs on only 37 passes. Sipko is one of those players that is impossible for defenses to ignore, as the wideout averaged 23.4 yards per catch, which was more than double that of any other play on the Dragons team. On the rushing side, Colten Rhoden III led the team on the ground, recording 899 rushing yards and 6 TDs. Rhoden also recorded 4 100+ yard games and averaged a solid 6.6 yards per carry over his 137 season carries. All combined, these players created a high-powered offense that was tough for opposing defenses to deal with, and it showed throughout the season. A 3-2 record was unfortunately not good enough to make the championship game, as the Southwest Prep 4A title is decided between the top 2 teams in the district, and that happened to be Episcopal and Kinkaid. Still, John Cooper has plenty of talent to look forward to next season and could be a contender for the championship in just a year’s time.

Next, let's take a look at their baseball season thus far. They have been an average team this season, with some solid moments throughout. John Cooper plays a schedule very similar to how teams play in our usual District 13, with a couple of tournaments to start the season before the inner-district series begin. Their opening games were rough, but they finished February strong and were on a 4-game win streak after March 9th’s win over Celebration. From there, the Dragons never left the .500 zone, going on some rough losing streaks followed by a couple of wins that brought them right back into the mix. Standout players for the Dragons this season have been hitters like Seve Amador and Andres Valenzuela, with Amador having some solid games against opponents like Celebration and St. Francis. Valenzuela had a solid game against Celebration too, going 3-4 on the day and stealing 2 bases. All and all, the Dragons had a solid season, but finished below what they might have hoped for. Still, much of this team will be back, and this was one of the best seasons they’ve had on the diamond in a long time, so expect them to be back and better than ever next year.

Now, let's check out some of John Cooper's recruits who are taking their game to the next level. We covered John Cooper’s signing day here, so make sure to check it out for the full summary. In short, seven athletes were signed back in February,

• Cooper Dupuis, signing to play football at Trinity University
• David Esquivel, signing to play football at Cornell
• Ashley Petrauskas, signing to play tennis at New York University
• Colten Rhoden III, signing to play football at Carnegie Mellon
• TD Robbins, signing to play football at Concordia
• Jordan Sheirr, signing to play basketball at Colby
• Eric Sipko, signing to play football at the US Air Force Academy
• Kaleb Smith, signing to play football at Southwestern University

It’s impressive that so many athletes are able to continue their careers at the next level after leaving John Cooper, and it shows how their athletic program creates opportunities for these students to achieve their goals. Many of the schools these athletes sign with are no joke either, with schools like Carnegie Mellon, Cornell, and New York University all being top-tier schools that are among the best in the country. It again highlights how John Cooper molds students into adults who aren’t just gifted in athletics but can also succeed in the classroom.

Writing about and looking into all these teams has really made us realize how similar John Cooper athletics is to the public schools we usually see. Still, even though they appear similar on a statistical level, there was no doubt that many of the student-athletes who represented the Dragons on the field were given a unique opportunity that might not have been possible in a public school setting. They were able to do everything public school students could do in sports, but they also had more opportunities to play and the resources they needed to get better at what they loved. John Cooper’s athletic program is an essential part of the school’s program and will continue to be an important part of their students’ lives, even after they leave John Cooper.