John Cooper Selected as Winner of USA Lacrosse’s Gerald J. Carroll Coaching Award

SPARKS, Md. — USA Lacrosse has named John Cooper, boys’ head coach at Parkville High School in Baltimore as recipient of the organization’s 2025 Gerald J. Carroll, Jr. Exemplary Coaching Award. 

Cooper has served as head coach at Parkville since 1998 and has been coaching for 35 years overall, including service as a high school assistant, rec and club coach. He has received numerous coach of the year honors as well as man of the year awards from different organizations, and has given significant time off-the-field to support the game. 

Cooper has served for two decades as region director for the Maryland State Lacrosse Coaches Association and has also been a representative for the state and county high school athletic associations for 25 years. He was co-coordinator of the state all-state game for 20 years and also coached in that game four times. 

Established in 1994, the Gerald J. Carroll Award annually recognizes one high school boys' coach nationwide. The award measures the success of a coach not in victories but in the care and guidance he gives to the balanced development of the young men who play the game. 

The letters of support submitted on Cooper’s behalf noted his selfless commitment to helping young players become the best that they can be and impacting their lives for the better, on and off the field. 

“Parkville’s lacrosse program is one of the better programs at our school,” said Jeff Markle, Parkville’s athletic director. “The athletes do well in school, they are well coached, they bond together like no other program, and they all leave the program as better individuals. Make no mistake about it, this is because of the leadership of John Cooper.” 

One of Cooper’s coaching colleagues in Maryland who has competed against his teams for many years and served alongside Cooper on various committees also voiced his support. 

“John is one of the best coaches I know,” said John Piper, head coach at Manchester Valley High School and a former winner of the Carroll Award. “In an era where we recognize great coaching with winning records, we often overlook the great coaches who teach and inspire young men to be great adults after high school. John coaches with passion and purpose so that his players will go on to be men of values. I can think of no one better deserving of this award.” 

In addition to his coaching duties, Cooper also impacts all students at Parkville as a health & physical education teacher. His devotion to helping young people become good adults has never wavered. 

“John’s commitment to students and to his athletes has never been stronger,” Markle said. “John helps organize campus cleanups with his players and supports our local community by gathering his athletes and cleaning up at the annual town fair. He always tells me his greatest satisfaction is seeing a young man come out for lacrosse with no experience and four years later leave the program as a very solid lacrosse player.” 

For more information about the Gerald J. Carroll Jr. Exemplary Coaching Award, please visit usalacrosse.com/gerry-carroll-coaching-award.