COOKING UP A BIG WINNER; JACKSON GIRLS THRIVE WITH COOK AT HELM

JACKSON -- And to just think that Ron Cook at one time never even contemplated coaching girls basketball.

Rest assured that everybody associated with Jackson High -- not to mention fans of the school's girls basketball team -- are counting their blessings that Cook eventually changed his mind.

All Cook has done in 16 seasons as head coach of the Lady Indians is:

* Compile an overall record of 320-101.

* Put together an almost unbelievable 154-14 mark over the last six seasons.

* Win six of the past seven district championships.

* Lead four Jackson teams into the Class 4A Final Four, all in the past six years.

"I guess it's all worked out pretty well," said Cook with a laugh -- something he does a lot of, which is no doubt a reflection of just how much he loves his job as a teacher and coach at Jackson.

This weekend, at the Hearnes Center in Columbia, Cook will lead the Lady Indians into their third consecutive Class 4A Final Four. Jackson, which finished third in the state two years ago and second last season, will try to win the school's first state championship in girls basketball.

Not too shabby for a guy who didn't ever think about coaching girls until...he started having daughters.

"That's right," said Cook, laughing again. "I thought I would never coach girls. My viewpoint kind of changed when I started having daughters."

Cook figures that becoming a girls basketball coach has been a personal blessing for a variety of reasons. First of all, he is glad he got involved in an area of sports that has changed dramatically -- all for the better, he adds -- over the years.

"I always thought the girls weren't treated fairly in sports," he said. "We're here to promote them and push them ahead. They were kind of pushed back into the background for a long time. And they still are, but it's gotten a lot better.

"And you'll see it keep growing and growing. You see a lot of girls (college) programs on TV now. And the game has changed so much. The girls have really gotten good. Some of the girls from the 70s and even the 80s, who played Division I basketball, could not play now. It's gotten that good."

From a more personal standpoint, getting involved with girls basketball has allowed Cook to already coach two of his daughters, twins Sherry and Shauna, who went on to earn athletic scholarships at Southeast Missouri State University (they just completed their sophomore seasons with the Otahkians).

Cook and his wife Sandra have three girls (the youngest in eighth grade) and no boys.

"Having a son was never a concern of mine," he said. "I just wanted healthy kids. I feel like I've been blessed.

"Coaching the twins, that was something money can't buy. It was tough, and probably unfair, because I had to be harder on them so I didn't show any favoritism. And they knew it. I told them that. But I wouldn't trade it for anything."

Added Cook with yet another chuckle, "They (Shauna and Sherry) are probably living through my dreams by playing college ball. I always wanted to, but nobody wanted a 6-foot forward who couldn't jump."

That jumping-impaired 6-foot forward played basketball for Delta High and then went on to Southeast Missouri State, where he did not participate in sports.

Cook's first job out of college was at Scott County Central High, where he coached junior high boys basketball for six years before taking over a relatively new girls basketball program for one year. Cook remembers his first eighth grade team at SCC vividly.

"I always think about the first year I started coaching, in 1974-75," he said. "We lost every game in eighth grade. I always try to remember that because it keeps you humble."

Cook's only season as SCC's high school girls basketball coach resulted in a second-place state finish. He then took over the Jackson girls program in 1981.

"They (Jackson) had a real good program in the 70s, winning regionals a couple of times, but when I came on the scene, they'd finished .500 or below the last couple of years," Cook said. "My first year we went 12-10 and just started building."

Jackson, which has never had a losing season under Cook, had a number of strong teams in the 1980s but -- unfortunately for the Lady Indians -- Poplar Bluff and Cape Central were also loaded for most of the that time. Hence, Jackson never could win a district title.

"We had some real good teams but we just could never get over the hump," said Cook.

The Lady Indians finally made it over the jump in 1991, winning their first district title. The following season, Jackson -- led by Andrea Siemer, who went on to play for Missouri -- broke through again with its first-ever Final Four appearance.

Jackson has been rolling ever since, winning at least 23 games in each of the past six seasons, including a 26-2 mark this year heading into Friday's 12:20 p.m. semifinal contest against Springfield Glendale. The Lady Indians have lost just seven games over the past four seasons.

Cook, never one to blow his own horn, deflects credit away from himself and on to others.

"I was joking around when somebody asked me about my record," said Cook. "I told them it's been because of good players, supporting parents and good assistant coaches.

"Really, there are a lot of reasons for a program like this. I've had good assistant coaches all the way through. Sam Sides (Cook's current assistant) is super. It's like having another head coach. In Jackson, girls sports are important. A lot of parents put in a lot of time. And it still goes back to how much talent you have, what kind of kids you have. The girls really work hard."

The same can be said for Cook, who -- like many coaches in the area -- spends countless hours trying to do the best job he possibly can.

"You have to put in a lot of time into it," he said. "I have to give my wife a lot of credit. She's been so supportive over the years."

While Cook might have been able to break into the college coaching ranks, he says he's happy right where he is.

"We have a good program here," he said. "I like the success of it. The situation is really good. You never know, but I don't see myself going anywhere."

For Cook, the satisfaction of knowing he has made a difference in a young person's life -- not to mention all that success -- is plenty to keep his juices flowing.

"There are lifetime friendships there if you handle it right," he said. "I have a close relationship with all the kids I've coached. You're always concerned about what they're going to do down the road. Even the girls that didn't play that much for me, I've had such good relationships with.

"You can't ever look at the paycheck, or you wouldn't be into teaching compared to other careers. It's just a good experience, working with kids this age."

While the experience has been good for Cook, he's certainly given at least as much as he's received.

Jackson High School must no doubt be grateful that Ron and Sandra Cook had nothing but daughters.

The Ron Cook File

Record at Jackson (16th season): 320-101

Record last six seasons: 154-14

Final Four appearances: four (1991-92, 94-95, 95-96, 96-97)

Record Last Six Seasons

1991-92: 25-4 (fourth in state)

1992-93: 23-3

1993-94: 25-1

1994-95: 28-1 (third in state)

1995-96: 27-3 (second in state)

1996-97: 26-2 (vs. Glendale Friday in state semifinals)