Jon Dunning
Staff Writer
Murray State soccer junior midfielder Symone Cooper was named the Spring 2020 AHS Outstanding Student in Leadership by the University’s department of applied health sciences on Thursday, April 9.
Cooper is grateful to win the award and wants her determination to inspire and help those around her.
“It’s a great feeling,” Cooper said. “I’ve always tried to push myself in the classroom and on the soccer field. Doing that little extra can get you far, even if it’s pep-talking yourself into getting ahead on assignments or doing one more sprint. Not only does it help me, but it encourages the people around me to do the same. I feed off of the people I surround myself with, so I feel as if I should do the same for them.”
Cooper has been with the Racer soccer team for three seasons, playing 41 games. She started all 19 matches of the 2019 season. She has scored four goals during her time at Murray State, including a game-winning score on the road against Eastern Kentucky on Oct. 6, 2019.
Cooper believes always putting forth her best effort in everything she attempts has allowed her to see success both on and off the field.
“As a student-athlete, I sometimes struggle with motivation and confidence,” Cooper said. “I’ve learned that some days are going to be harder than others to be the best student-athlete I can be. I had to recognize that I’m not always going to do perfect on a quiz or test or speech. I’m not always going to have an amazing game. I just have to put in the effort in some form and believe that doing that is enough. Once I believed that, I began to have more confidence academically and athletically.”
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