Several years ago, George Lutkenhaus moved from coaching cross country and track and field at Northwest High School in Justin to the Athletic Office at Northwest ISD.
While George has always taken a back seat to the coaching staff at NISD since assuming his role as Director of Athletics, now that his son Cooper is in high school, the two of them often discuss their mutual passion for the sport of distance running.
“Thankfully, we are loaded with great track and field coaches at Northwest High School,” George said. “Those guys do a great job working with him 12 months out of the year. We talk a lot at home regarding racing, training, and recovery, but those guys pull the strings when it comes to workouts and meets. Cooper is fortunate to have the coaches he has around him.”
And the results have borne that out.
In two separate meets this track and field season, the Northwest sophomore set records while competing in the 800-meter run.
It started with the Red Raider Invite in Lubbock, where Cooper won the men’s 800 meters with a time of 1:50.15, setting a new national sophomore indoor record.
Cooper followed that up with a time of 1:46 to break the overall high school record at the Millrose games.
Unfortunately, the runner who held the high school record, Josh Hoey, was in the race and broke the American Record, so Cooper gained a record but lost the high school record all in the same race.
“The race at Texas Tech was basically a warm-up for Millrose,” George said. “Cooper had never been on an indoor track before, so we wanted to make sure he had a feel for what the shorter, tighter track felt like. We knew he had a chance to win at Tech just knowing his fitness but stepping up to collegiate competition and on an unknown surface you just never know what will happen.
“As far as Millrose in New York, the whole plan was to just hang on, hoping to stay in the race just enough so that he would have a chance to run fast. It worked out well as he broke the U.S. High School National Record and Under 18 World Record Indoors.”
Cooper, 16, said the experience of competing in the two events is something he will never forget.
“Those races were just awesome,” Cooper said. “Getting the opportunity to run against such great competition was just unreal as a 16-year-old. I was pretty nervous before the meet at Texas Tech since it was my first time indoors. Getting the win there though definitely helped for Millrose in New York. I knew that if I ran the race correctly, I would run fast.
“That race didn’t disappoint as three National Records were set and I was able to break the U.S. High School Record. My whole thought was just to not think and hold on to the pack as long as possible. I’m not going to say it didn’t hurt, but once I saw the time that faded pretty quickly.”
One of Cooper’s greatest assets as a distance runner is his versatility, as the Northwest sophomore demonstrated over a three-week period from late February to March 21.
At the Northwest Invitational on Feb. 28, Cooper won the 1,000-meter run with a time of 2:23:57 and followed that up with a gold medal in the 400 meters at the Aledo Bearcat Relays on March 6 with a time of 47.77.
Cooper then won the 800 meters race on March 21 with a time of 1:48:57 at the Jesuit-Sheaner Relays, making it three separate victories in three different events in a span of three weeks.
Running is a tradition in the Lutkenhaus family and Cooper said he was initially drawn to the sport of distance running because he wanted to follow in his loved ones’ footsteps.
“My mom was a two-time state qualifier in track and my dad ran collegiately,” Cooper said. “My brothers also ran with my oldest brother George Jr. swimming collegiately in Colorado at Adams State. My middle brother Andrew runs the 800m at the University of Tulsa and qualified for state twice in high school. I guess you could say it’s just what we are good at. Who doesn’t like to win? Just a natural fit, I guess. I like the competition and testing my limits.”
Cooper said he does not feel any added pressure being a former coach’s son and said his father has helped him improve his game immensely.
“He has been great,” Cooper said. “It’s nice to have someone to go to with such experience. My high school coaches do a great job, but having my dad to talk with is a real bonus.”
Cooper said he has many fond memories with his father and cross country and track but said perhaps the greatest thing he received of all was a sense of preparation for what the sports involve and require.
“I have been going to the State Track Meet with my dad since before I could walk,” Cooper said. “Getting to watch his former athletes compete along with my brother before me at that level was invaluable. When I got my chance to run there last year as a freshman, I really felt no pressure just because I had been there so much. It was just another meet.”
Cooper won a state championship in the 800 meters as a freshman last season in track and field for the Texans team.
George said that despite all the success Cooper has enjoyed in his career to this point, he is not as concerned about the accolades, but more about the work ethic.
“All we have ever stressed at home is effort,” George said. “You can’t control what others do so just focus on yourself and the effort you put forth daily. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose, all we can ask is your best and that the effort is there. My hope is that he takes things as far as he wants to. It’s up to him. So far, we know the talent is there and the work ethic is there to match to be successful.”
Cooper’s Favorites
Favorite Athlete: Bryce Hoppel
Favorite Sports Team: Dallas Cowboys
Favorite Food: Mexican
Favorite Movie: “Remember the Titans”
Favorite TV Show: “Young Sheldon”
Book Currently Reading or Last Book Read: “Running with the Buffaloes”
Favorite Musical Group or Performer: Morgan Wallen
