GRAND RAPIDS, Mich -- DEAN COOPER WAS BORN AND RAISED IN WEST MICHIGAN….HE IS A GRADUATE OF BELDING HIGH SCHOOL AND AQUINAS COLLEGE...WEDNESDAY NIGHT HE COACHED THE IDAHO STAMPEDE IN FRONT OF FRIENDS AND FAMILY IN GRAND RAPIDS…
Dean Cooper, Idaho Stamped Head Coach (1st Year)
“I had around 50 ticket requests and there was going to be some people that showed up that didn’t call for tickets so I don’t know what it will end up being I just hope we give them a good show and make their time worthwhile.”
COOPER IS IN HIS FIRST YEAR AS HEAD COACH OF THE STAMPEDE…HE SPENT THE LAST 15 AS AN ASSISTANT COACH AND IN THE FRONT OFFICE WITH THE HOUSTON ROCKETS…MINNESOTA TIMBER WOLVES AND PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS…BUT HE PLAYED BASEBALL AND GOLF AT AQUINAS…SO HOW DID HE END UP AS A BASKETBALL COACH?
Cooper says “I haven’t the slightest idea, I tell people all the time it’s one of those things that you start out doing and I sort of did it early on because I missed playing basketball and one opportunity led to the next and I just tried to put my head down and do the best job I could do with where I was at, at the time and for the most part that has just got me to the next place whatever that next place is and it’s been a pretty cool ride.”
DEAN HAS MADE MANY TRIPS TO DETROIT TO COACH AGAINST THE PISTONS…BUT TO HIM…THAT DOES NOT COMPARE TO WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
Cooper says “It’s pretty surreal actually being a head coach and being back I've come back to Michigan as an assistant in the NBA but coming more home-home versus Detroit and having my own program is pretty humbling”
