Sophomore Linebacker, State-Qualifying Swimmer Already One of Packers’ Most Impactful Players
Cindy Jo Cooper is a two-sport athlete at Colquitt County High School. She plays at linebacker and backup quarterback for the Packers flag football team, and she competes as part of the 200-meter relay team and in the backstroke for the Packers swim team. Although she is just a sophomore, Cooper has made quite the splash in both sports.
Making Waves: Cooper’s Career in the Pool
“Cindy Jo is a two-time state qualifier as part of our relay teams and has already set her sights on returning again in the 2026-27 season,” said Andy Chapura, Colquitt County head swim coach.
Chapura has coached Cooper since she was in the sixth grade.
“It has been a true joy coaching Cindy Jo so far,” Chapura said. “She is a wonderful, Christ-driven young lady whose determination makes her the kind of athlete any coach would love to have on their team. She demonstrates leadership both in and out of the water, setting a positive example for her teammates through her work ethic and character.”
Cindy Jo Cooper’s father, Colquitt County assistant football coach John Cooper, said swimming was love at first sight for his daughter.
“We got her in the pool when she was in middle school, and she’s kept at it ever since,” John Cooper said.
Cindy Jo Cooper said she tried a lot of different sports when she was younger, including swimming.
“My parents wanted me to pursue sports, and I tried cheerleading, ballet, gymnastics, track, basketball, and swimming, and it was swimming that I loved,” she said. “When my day is rough, being in the water helps me focus on the right things because it’s just me and my thoughts. I just love being in the water and swimming.”
In addition to competing with the Colquitt County swim team, Cindy Jo Cooper is also a member of the Titans, a local club team.
“When we moved to Moultrie and began swimming with the Titans club team, I began competing more regularly,” she said.
Cindy Jo Cooper has been part of the past two relay teams that qualified for state and said that she is excited to see how the next season turns out.
“The first time we all swam together was in the region meet, which is the one we qualified for state, so I am excited to see where we can go from here,” she said.
Flag Football First: Following in Her Sister’s Footsteps
Cindy Jo Cooper seems to love flag football as much as, if not more than, swimming, and she admitted to being sometimes conflicted about which sport she loves most.
“Technically, I loved swimming first, but I love flag football more,” Cindy Jo Cooper said. “Swim is a team sport, but it’s not the same as playing on the football field.”
Having a father who is a varsity football coach at Colquitt County provides a natural influence. John Cooper serves as the Packers’ offensive coordinator.
“My dad’s a football coach, so football has been a huge part of my life, and when I got the chance to play, I was pumped,” Cindy Jo Cooper said. “I love everything about it. I enjoy the team part of the game, and I also love being on the sidelines cheering on my teammates.”
However, another family member may have contributed just as much to Cindy Jo Cooper’s love for football: her older sister. Sara Cooper played for the Packers flag football team in its very first year of existence, and her younger sister was her biggest fan.
Colquitt County flag football head coach Kirk Woodall remembered Cindy Jo Cooper being at the team’s first game in the program’s inaugural season.
“I remember Cindy Jo was watching our very first game from the stands, and that year for her birthday, she did a flag football-themed birthday party,” Woodall said.
Woodall said there was a defining moment that made a lasting impact on Cindy Jo Cooper.
“Sara scored the first touchdown in program history for us, and Cindy Jo has been hooked ever since,” Woodall said.
John Cooper said that Cindy Jo Cooper really loved watching her older sister play flag football, and there is no doubt it made quite an impact on her.
“Cindy Jo was always around her older sister when Sara played flag football,” he said. “She came to me one day and told me she wanted to play football and she wanted to just carry on what Sara had started. She even wanted to wear the same number, No. 5, that her sister wore.”
Cindy Jo Cooper agreed that she looked up to her sister and her style of play and wanted to continue playing after Sara’s flag football career ended.
“I wanted to do it for her,” Cindy Jo Cooper said of her sister. “She was a baller.”
From Rotational Player to Team Captain
Woodall said that Cindy Jo Cooper was a rotational player as a freshman but picked up on things quickly, became a starter this past season, and was an impact player for the Packers. She started at linebacker and played backup quarterback, but Woodall said defense is where Cindy Jo Cooper feels at home.
“She is better closer to the ball, but athletic enough to cover curl flats,” Woodall said. “She is such a leader that we felt putting her in the middle of the field to help direct things would guide us. She will tell you that she loves defense. She loves to chase, pull, and be in a position to make plays. It suits her personality.”
Woodall said Cindy Jo Cooper earned the respect of her teammates and led by example.
“Cindy Jo was voted team captain by her teammates this past year, and she led the defense in flag pulls, the equivalent of tackles,” Woodall said. “She was also voted Player of the Year by her teammates this past season.”
By the Numbers: A Dominant Defensive Season
In the 2025 season, Cindy Jo Cooper led the team with 66 solo flag pulls, along with eight assisted flag pulls, for a total of 74 pulls and an average of 4.4 per game.
She was selected as an All-Region linebacker for her performance this past year.
Her efforts helped the team to an 11-9 season, including a 7-5 area record and a trip to the playoffs, where they won a first-round game against No. 2 seed Heritage High School of Conyers, Georgia.
“This football season was interesting,” Cindy Jo Cooper said. “It was a learning experience. A lot of us had to step up on our team because we had so many graduating seniors. I played quarterback, and it was fun playing a position I had never played before. My first varsity interception and pulling flags were a lot of fun.”
While defense is her primary position, Cindy Jo Cooper also handled limited time at quarterback capably, completing 9-of-13 passes for one touchdown.
As for which side of the ball she prefers, Cindy Jo Cooper said the choice is clear.
“I like defense because of the physicality,” she said. “I love pretty much everything about playing defense besides when I miss pulling flags.”
As for continuing to play some at quarterback, Cindy Jo Cooper said she will do whatever her coach needs.
“I prefer playing linebacker, but I’ll go wherever my team needs me,” she said.
3 Straight Playoff Appearances, More to Come
2025 was the third season for Colquitt County’s flag football team, and under Woodall the Packers have made the playoffs each year.
As for Cindy Jo Cooper’s future, Woodall said the 2026 season could be a breakthrough and potentially set the foundation for flag football opportunities beyond high school.
“Cindy Jo will be a potential All-State player by this season if she continues to develop her speed and increases her interception rate,” Woodall said. “I know she will have opportunities to play in college, as we have had some people already asking about her after seeing film from this past season. With the type of student she is, she will be able to go anywhere she wants. She is the complete package for any school.”
What does Cindy Jo Cooper think about a future in flag football?
“I want to be wherever the Lord calls me,” she said. “I’m not really sure what that means for flag football. I just know that I want to play flag for as long as I can.”
