Cooper McCombs: The Beautiful Game

I started playing soccer at the age of three, and I haven’t stopped since. I have fallen in love with the game over the past 19 years. What’s not to love? Even though my parents introduced me to other sports along the way, I always ended up on the pitch - in or outdoors.

It was always a dream to play college soccer. God opened doors for me to come to John Brown University and get to play the game I love. However, when I arrived on campus in July of 2018, I was on crutches. I had endured my first major soccer injury just weeks before the preseason. This was not how I ever imagined starting my college career. Little did I know, God had bigger plans.

God helped me see soccer through a new light. I learned that my plans were not always God’s plans. It wasn’t easy to show up to preseason and sit on the side. It felt lonely at times, but God taught me gratitude. When I was able to play again, I was more thankful for the sport than I ever had been before. I no longer took my healthy body for granted. Coming back from injury taught me to praise God in all of the little moments.

Not only did my injury change how I saw soccer, but it also changed my career path. I switched my major from business to sports med. I wanted to do something to help others come back from injury, since so many people took so much time helping me do the same.

Fortunately, I was able to come back from my injury and get back on the pitch. I still faced difficulties throughout my time at JBU, but I knew God was using them all.

My favorite JBU soccer memory was playing alongside with all my brothers at Alumni field under the lights. It was so much fun having all of our fans cheer us on. It made for many great memories.

Cooper will graduate this spring with a kinesiology degree. He plans on joining a physical therapy clinic back home in Tulsa while continuing his passion of playing the beautiful game.