September 15, 2022 | Columbia Star, The (SC)
Author/Byline: Josh Cruse; joshc@thecolumbiastar.com | Section: Article

There is a special bond a father has with his son, and for Airport head football coach Andre Cook and his son, Apollos, that extends to the gridiron.

Andre Cook was hired in February as Airport’s football coach and athletic director, following Kirk Burnett’s retirement.

With Cook’s arrival also came the arrival of one of the best players currently on the Eagles’ roster, Duke commit Apollos.

“There was no way I was going to be able to take a job and he not be a part of it,” Andre said. “If he wanted to stay, then we would have stayed. He was excited about the possibilities and the opportunity to come over here, compete, and establish something. That has been the goal since day one.”

Apollos plays wide receiver and safety for Airport. He also is the Eagles’ return man on punts and kickoffs. His impact on the field fills a stat sheet. Through four games, he’s caught 17 passes for 270 yards and three touchdowns, rushed for 17 yards and one touchdown on seven carries, returned four punts for 41 yards, returned four kickoffs for 137 yards, and recorded five-and-a-half tackles.

“A lot of his teammates look up to him,” Andre said. ” When he’s doing things the right way or practicing the right way or going about things the right way others follow his lead. On the other side, if he’s not doing something right, it’s really important that I try to correct him the same I would anyone else. A lot of times I’m probably a little quicker to correct or critique him because I know he understands the expectations, and I want to make sure he’s always in the right mindset to lead the right way.”

“I know if I don’t have a good game, he’ll be there to correct me,” Apollos said of his dad. “If I do have a good game, he’ll be there to show me what else could have happened for us to win. That’s just great to have because he picks up things I might miss.”

While Apollos is proud of his stats, his focus is on the team. Currently, the Eagles sit at 1-3 with two non-region games left.

“I want to see us pick up some wins before going into region play,” Apollos said. “For me, it’s a mindset thing. If we pick up some wins, we might feel better about ourselves.”

Apollos said the transition from River Bluff to Airport was pretty smooth because he already knew some of the players. One player he had to form a relationship with was quarterback Kyle Chavis.

Through four games, Chavis has passed for 470 yards, most of that to Apollos.

Both Cooks have noticed a change in the mindset of the team. Andre said in games such as the Brookland-Cayce game, he wasn’t sure his team came into it expecting to win. As recently as this past Friday’s loss to Lugoff-Elgin, he’s noticed some of his players being disappointed in the loss or certain plays they did not make.

Other teams have noticed a change in Airport. Andre received a text from Brookland-Cayce quarterback Tanner Staton saying he hasn’t seen an Airport team like this one in a while.

“It meant something to me because I know we are headed in the right direction,” Andre said.

That change hasn’t just happened on the field. Off the field, Andre has noticed players, some who he was told he wouldn’t be able to depend on, turn into leaders and arrive for every weight-lifting session or Sunday meeting. Some of that goes back to Apollos, who has been among his teammates when they’ve expressed to him their desire to skip practice or lift weights.

It is Apollos’s hard work that Andre praises.

“It’s why I’ve always been proud of all his accomplishments,” Andre Cook said. “It’s good watching film and seeing him translate things he’s done on the field before and after practice.”

Andre says he’ll send Apollos videos from Twitter or Instagram from other receivers. He’s noticed Apollos trying out some of the moves in practice or during a game.

Apollos is also more explosive and credits Eagles’ wide receiver coach Cam Riley.

Time will tell how successful Airport’s 2022 season will become. For Apollos and Andre getting one last opportunity to share the football field together has already made it special.

” Whenever we are able to pick up a couple more wins I know it’s going to be great,” Apollos said. “I’ve seen how hard he’s worked.”

While Apollos’s main focus is on the team’s success, he wants to win the Region 4-4A Player of the Year and make the All-State roster, like he did at River Bluff.

Andre believes Airport can still compete for a Region 4-4A title.

“I feel we have a good core group of seniors,” Andre said. “I think we’ve had enough positives in the non-region that once things get going in the right direction we will be able to take advantage of the opportunity that will be available to us.”

Caption:

Airport’s Apollos and Andre Cook Photo by Josh Cruse

Airport’s Apollos and Andre Cook Photo by Josh Cruse