Driving the Team to Reach For Nationals
Cooper Fouts Coaching Baseball to Their Best
Riley White | Sports Writer
With the 2015 baseball season fast approaching, assistant coach Cooper Fouts is determined to help the Wolverines make it to a regional championship. Coach Fouts will be entering his third season as the Wolverines assistant coach and his enthusiastic passion for the game are a constant strength for his players.
The Indiana native who spent the majority of his years in Las Vegas, Fouts has had a deep love for baseball the majority of his life. While playing for Bishop Gorman high school, Fouts became a star catcher whose dream of being drafted by a major league team became a reality as the Oakland Athletics claimed him after his all-state high school senior season.
Fouts decided to attend college instead and quickly found himself at Southern Nevada Community College where he played one year. After his first year at Southern Nevada, Fouts was recruited by Texas Tech University and earned himself a spot as the Red Raiders starting catcher.
During his three years at Texas Tech, Fouts became a passionate and vocal leader. His hard work and dedication helped the Red Raiders finish at an impressive 40-21 during his junior year. That same year Fouts and the Red Raiders earned their way into the NCAA tournament where they played in the Atlanta regional at Georgia Tech, in which he earned All-Tournament honors.
It was during his career at Texas Tech that Fouts realized that he wanted to be a coach. Ever summer Fouts would return home to Las Vegas and help coach at a local baseball academy for young elite players. He would dedicate his time to teach and improve the skills of young players looking to make their major league dreams a reality.
Not long after starting these summers of coaching Fouts knew it was all he wanted to do. After graduating from Texas Tech in 2006 with a degree in exercise sports science, he contacted his old coach at Southern Nevada and said he wanted to help. “I graduated Saturday, left Texas Sunday, and was coaching Monday,” said Fouts. He was willing to do whatever it took to reach his goal of being a head coach.
Fouts spent four years at Southern Nevada and helped the Coyotes win three conference championships. While there, he was also able to coach the All-Star outfielder for the Washington Nationals, Bryce Harper.
From Southern Nevada, Fouts headed to beautiful Malibu with his wife to be an assistant coach for Pepperdine University. His brief stint at Pepperdine prepared him for his current position as assistant coach of the Wolverines.
While talking about his coaching history, Fouts wanted to make it very clear that none of this would have been possible without his amazing wife. “I give every last bit of credit to my wife,” said Fouts. She has been a pillar of strength through every loss and every move as he has continued his mission to become the best coach he can be.
So as opening day draws near and the Wolverines prepare to reach their goal of making it to the NCAA tournament, each player knowing that Coach Fouts is right by their side doing everything he can to help them achieve it.