Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By Carey Reeder | Managing Editor

Morgan Cooper capitalized on her one year at Thorsby High School and earned a scholarship to play college volleyball at Birmingham-Southern College. Cooper signed her letter of intent to attend BSC on March 1 in front of friends, teammates and family.

“It means so much to me, and I feel so blessed and thankful for them and how everyone supported me through this journey. It means a lot,” Cooper said.

Cooper, a senior who attended a Christian high school until she was homeschooled for her senior year, enrolled at Thorsby to take one class for her curriculum. That allowed her to play for the Rebels this past season, and the new girl on the block earned her teammates trust and respect quickly.

As a new player, much less a new, talented player like Cooper, it is hard to come into a new team and gel well. However, Thorsby head coach Brittany Maddox said the team accepted Cooper immediately, and the team gravitated towards her energy and talent.

“The very first day she came into practice, I already talked to the other girls about her” Maddox said. “They just gravitated towards (Cooper). She came in with a great attitude, she helped them out and they all loved her. All 11 other players accepted her, they learned from her and they wanted to learn more from her. They looked up to her as a role model, not just as a good volleyball player but as a person.”

Maddox said Cooper’s spunkiness, go-get-it attitude and encouragement for everyone associated with the Thorsby volleyball program are the things she will remember about her the most. She described the senior as an all-around great player and person which benefited the program greatly the year she was with the Rebels.

When it came down to her decision, Cooper said Birmingham-Southern’s location to her family, and the feelings she got while visiting, were big things that swayed her to the program.

“When I went on campus all of the girls came and supported me, and they were so excited to have me and it felt like home,” Cooper said. “The coach is nice, and she said ‘I really like you, and I hope this place feels like home,’ and it did.”

Cooper’s motivation to want to do better and improve are traits that will benefit her at the college level in Maddox’s eyes. The senior added that she wants to be more outgoing at BSC so that will contribute to her growth there as well.

Cooper will not be far from her personal trainers and programs she has been working with for years in the Birmingham area as well, giving her another outlet to help her transition to the college level.