Hunkie Cooper
Encyclopedia
Hernandez James Cooper is a former American football
receiver
and linebacker
who played for the Arizona Rattlers
of the Arena Football League until his retirement in 2005. He is a two time recipient of the Ironman of the Year award and was voted league MVP in 1993.
. The pact they made said that if either were to die, the other would name his next child after him.
in Palestine, Texas
and was a student and a letterman in football
, basketball
, and baseball
. In football, he played quarterback
.
in Texas where he led the Bulldogs to a NJCAA national championship in 1989. He soon transferred to University of Nevada, Las Vegas
. At UNLV, he played six different positions, and he was a two-time All-Big West Conference
selection. In a dramatic beginning to D1 Football in Hunkie's first game for Head Coach Jim Strong's UNLV Rebel's he scored Four Touchdowns from all over the field in the season opener verses Southwest Missouri. As a punt returner
during his senior season he was selected as an All American. He received a B.A.
in Criminal Law
and Education
in 1991.
area casino. He tried playing in the Canadian Football League
, but was not very successful. One day at work, Arizona Rattlers
Director of Player Personnel Pete Kettela
asked him if he would like to sign a contract with the Rattlers organization.
. By the end of the year he was selected as the league MVP, and an all-star as an Offensive Specialist. This was all after he broke the AFL record for kickoff return yards with 1423 yards.
appearance,which they won 36-31.
His Daughter Brianna (Now 15 years of age) was born in October.
His son Austin (Now 14 years of age) was born in January
, missing the first two games of the season with a quadriceps injury. He soon retired after being cut.
He later became an assistant coach for the Utah Blaze
under his former coach Danny White
. Cooper resides in North Las Vegas, Nevada. Hunkie is married to his wife, Tiffany and has six children: Nigel (23), Dirik (22), Simone (21), Brianna (15), A.J. (14), and Destini (11).
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
and linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
who played for the Arizona Rattlers
Arizona Rattlers
The Arizona Rattlers are a professional arena football team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Conference in the Arena Football League . The Rattlers were founded in 1992 as an expansion team. They play their home games at US Airways Center...
of the Arena Football League until his retirement in 2005. He is a two time recipient of the Ironman of the Year award and was voted league MVP in 1993.
Early life
Hunkie Cooper was the son of a military veteran and the youngest, and shortest, of 5 children. He received the name Hernandez from a pact his father had made to his best friend prior to the Vietnam WarVietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. The pact they made said that if either were to die, the other would name his next child after him.
High school years
Cooper attended Westwood High SchoolWestwood High School (Palestine, Texas)
Westwood High School is a 3A high school located in Palestine, Texas . It is part of the Westwood Independent School District located in west central Anderson County. The school is located on US Hwy 79 just west of the city of Palestine...
in Palestine, Texas
Palestine, Texas
Palestine is a city in Anderson County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 17,598, and 18,458 in the 2009 estimate. It is the county seat of Anderson County and is situated in East Texas...
and was a student and a letterman in football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. In football, he played quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
.
College years
Hunkie went on to play at Navarro CollegeNavarro College
Navarro College is a two-year public institution consisting of a main campus located in Corsicana, with branches in Mexia, Midlothian, and Waxahachie, Texas...
in Texas where he led the Bulldogs to a NJCAA national championship in 1989. He soon transferred to University of Nevada, Las Vegas
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
University of Nevada-Las Vegas is a public, coeducational university located in the Las Vegas suburb of Paradise, Nevada, USA. The campus is located approximately east of the Las Vegas Strip. The institution includes a Shadow Lane Campus, located just east of the University Medical Center of...
. At UNLV, he played six different positions, and he was a two-time All-Big West Conference
Big West Conference
The Big West Conference is an NCAA-affiliated Division I mid-major college athletic conference. When the conference began in 1969, its name was the Pacific Coast Athletic Association . After nineteen years, in 1988, its name was changed to the Big West Conference. The conference stopped...
selection. In a dramatic beginning to D1 Football in Hunkie's first game for Head Coach Jim Strong's UNLV Rebel's he scored Four Touchdowns from all over the field in the season opener verses Southwest Missouri. As a punt returner
Punt returner
Punt returner is a position on special teams in American football.-Description:The role of a punt returner is to catch the ball after it is punted and to give his team good field position by returning it. Before catching the punted ball, the returner must assess the situation on the field while...
during his senior season he was selected as an All American. He received a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in Criminal Law
Criminal law
Criminal law, is the body of law that relates to crime. It might be defined as the body of rules that defines conduct that is not allowed because it is held to threaten, harm or endanger the safety and welfare of people, and that sets out the punishment to be imposed on people who do not obey...
and Education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
in 1991.
Arena Football League career
After his time at UNLV, Hunkie believed his football career was over, so he took a job at a Las VegasLas Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
area casino. He tried playing in the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
, but was not very successful. One day at work, Arizona Rattlers
Arizona Rattlers
The Arizona Rattlers are a professional arena football team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Conference in the Arena Football League . The Rattlers were founded in 1992 as an expansion team. They play their home games at US Airways Center...
Director of Player Personnel Pete Kettela
Pete Kettela
Peter P. "Pete" Kettela is an American football executive and coach who served the head coach of the UC Riverside Highlanders and the Edmonton Eskimos.-Athletic career:Kettela played football, baseball, and basketball at UC Riverside from 1959-1961...
asked him if he would like to sign a contract with the Rattlers organization.
1993
Hunkie arrived at camp as a fourth string receiver but quickly worked his way up the depth chartDepth chart
In sports, a depth chart is used to show the placements of the starting players and the secondary players. Generally a starting player will be listed first or on top while a back-up will be listed below...
. By the end of the year he was selected as the league MVP, and an all-star as an Offensive Specialist. This was all after he broke the AFL record for kickoff return yards with 1423 yards.
1994
Hunkie helped take the team to their first ArenaBowlArenaBowl
The ArenaBowl is the Arena Football League's championship game. From 1987 to 2004, the ArenaBowl was hosted by either the team with the better regular-season record or the higher seeding in the playoffs. From ArenaBowl XIX in 2005 until ArenaBowl XXII in 2008, the game was played at a neutral site...
appearance,which they won 36-31.
His Daughter Brianna (Now 15 years of age) was born in October.
1996
A year after making the transition to a two way receiver and linebacker, he was selected as an all star once again.His son Austin (Now 14 years of age) was born in January
1997
Hunkie was a second team all star selection. He helped lead the team to their second ArenaBowl win and was voted as Ironman of the game after catching a 30 yard touchdown pass, returning a kick for a touchdown, and returning an interception for a touchdown.1999
He was voted Tinactin Ironman of the Year, Second Team All-Arena - WR/LB, and All-Ironman Team.2000
He was again voted Tinactin Ironman of the Year, First Team All-Arena - WR/LB, and All-Ironman Team - WR/LB.2001
Once again he was selected to the All-Ironman Team - WR/LB and for the first time was a First Team member of the 15th Anniversary Team - WR/LB.2005
Cooper began the season on Injured ReserveInjured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
, missing the first two games of the season with a quadriceps injury. He soon retired after being cut.
Stats
Cooper is one of only two players to earn both AFL MVP (1993) and Ironman of the Year awards (1999, 2000) in a career. He is also one of two players to earn Ironman awards twice. He finished his career as Arizona's all-time leader in receiving yards (8,559), receptions (776), forced fumbles (7), fumble recoveries (11) and touchdowns (205). Cooper is also the Arena Football League's all-time leader in all-purpose yardage (20,587) and kickoff returns (500).Retirement
After being cut by the Rattlers in 2005, he decided to retire. On May 6, 2005, the Arizona Rattlers retired his #14.He later became an assistant coach for the Utah Blaze
Utah Blaze
The Utah Blaze is a professional arena football team based in Salt Lake City, Utah and competes in the West division of the Arena Football League. Home games are played at the EnergySolutions Arena.-The original Utah Blaze :...
under his former coach Danny White
Danny White
Wilford Daniel "Danny" White is a former quarterback and punter for the Dallas Cowboys, an American football coach in the Arena Football League and also occasionally appears as an analyst on broadcasts of college football games. He was named the head coach of the Arena Football League expansion...
. Cooper resides in North Las Vegas, Nevada. Hunkie is married to his wife, Tiffany and has six children: Nigel (23), Dirik (22), Simone (21), Brianna (15), A.J. (14), and Destini (11).