Abilene ISD gymnastics coach Brandon Cooke competed at the Men’s High School Gymnastics National Championship meet after he graduated from Abilene High School in 2005 and had a memorable experience, one that led to lifelong friendships that crisscross the country.
His experience and those friendships made him want the same experience for a trio of recent AISD graduates and gymnastics standouts: Tristan Reyna, Evan Banks, and Aaron Grow. All three were selected to compete for Team Texas and Cooke was picked to coach the team that competed at the national meet June 11 in Anaheim, California.
After the state gymnastics meet, Texas coaches submitted names of seniors who had the athletic credentials to be part of the team that would compete in California. Cooke submitted the three who were eventually picked for the team. While helping select the 14 athletes from Texas who would represent the Lone Star State, Cooke was informed he would be coaching the team.
That meant he would have one final chance to coach his athletes in an environment that meant so much to him almost 20 years ago.
“I made lifelong friends when I had the chance to compete in the national meet,” he said, “and I wanted our guys to have the same opportunity. Not every sport has the opportunity to compete on a national level, and this was something I wanted our guys to experience, and I’m glad I got to be there with them.”
Reyna – the ATEMS valedictorian who competed for Cooper – put together a standout four-year career and finished fourth in the all-around competition. He was injured about two weeks before the national competition and wasn’t sure if he’d be able to compete in the all-around but decided just before the meet started to compete in every event. Cooke said he had to cut down on some of his skill routines on the floor exercise because of the injury, but he still performed well enough to finish fourth in the all-around.
Banks – who also competed for Cooper – was sixth in the all-around with a best event finish of fifth on the rings. And Grow, who competed for Abilene High, was seventh in the all-around with a best event finish of sixth in the rings and vault. Grow had shoulder surgery last fall but battled back to post a terrific senior season and earn a spot on Team Texas.
Cooke said the time in California was well-spent, both athletically and socially.
“Being in charge of 14 guys from across Texas was a lot of responsibility, but I loved it,” Cooke said. “We had a great group of guys who had a great time together.”
