Donald Cooper
Dr. Donald Cooper has been taking care of athletes for more than 60 years. He began as an athletic trainer for schools in Kansas including Columbus, Pittsburg and Pittsburg State University. He graduated from Kansas University Medical School in 1953. After serving 2 years as a medical officer in the US Air Force, he became the team physician at Kansas State University in Manhatten. In 1960 he became the team physician and director of the Student Health Center at Oklahoma State University. For 35 years he served as the OSU team physician at the Big Eight, Big Twelve and NCAA National Wrestling Finals. In 1968 he attended to the United States Olympic Team in Mexico City and in 1985 served the World Games for the Deaf as their team physician. Dr. Cooper served for twelve years on the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. Eight of those years were under President Reagan with an additional four served under President Bush. Dr. Cooper has served on numerous NCAA committees pertaining to the medical aspect of sports. He is a past chairman of the American Medical Association's Committee on Sports Medicine. He has published over 40 articles on sports medicine issues including weight control, skin infections, cauliflower ears and drug use in athletes. He has lectured on various sports medicine topics throughout the United States as well as Europe, Asia and South America. He had made numerous appearances on national TV regarding sports medicine, physical fitness and weight control in wrestlers. In 1998 he was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame.
Awards:
Year
2003
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Award
Lifetime Service to Wrestling
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Chapter/Region
Oklahoma
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