Sports

OVAC 5A Coach of the Year

Elliana McCabe, Staff Writer

February 4, 2025

Photo Courtesy of John McCabe.

Micheal Cook was named the 2024-2025 OVAC 5A Boys Coach of the Year.

He is a fifth year coach for the Wheeling Park boys and girls swim team. Cook shares insight on his coaching methods.

“One of the most important things to be successful in coaching is to tell people the things they don’t want to hear, you have to be openly critical and brutally honest at times,” said Cook.

Cook is accompanied by assistant coach Travis Mckinley. Mckinley shares praise about Cook’s coaching style and attitude in the pool.

“He’s a great coach. It’s obvious he’s passionate about swimming, he puts a lot of his time into it, and he definitely deserved coach of the year,” said McKinley.

This year, he led the boys team to win the OVAC title.

“[the boys team] had a good day,” said Cook, “They delivered in situations that they had to, and their win was a testament to the fact that they showed up and delivered.”

Congratulations to Cook for being named Coach of the Year!

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About the Contributor

Elliana McCabe, Staff Writer

Sophomore Elliana McCabe is a staff writer for the Park Press. She is an aspiring writer who has competed previously in the young writers contest. This is her first experience with journalism, and she is excited to help tell the story of Wheeling Park High School and its students. Outside of writing, she is a member of the Park girls’ soccer team. McCabe is also a second-year Patriot swimmer and is a member of the strings program. In her spare time, McCabe is a soccer referee for FC Wheeling’s club and recreational teams. She provides shelter for two rescued lab rats, a rabbit, and a 2-year-old Airedale. Her claim to fame is misspelling “thorn” in her third-grade spelling bee.