Champions' TriBUne Archive

By: Cooper Dossey       
 
Champions' TriBUne is a special feature through Baylor Athletics that gives you the student-athlete's perspective and the chance for them to share their own story. Cooper Dossey, a senior from Austin, Texas, was a third-team All-American and Freshman All-American in 2017 when he won the first of two individual titles and recorded a 71.19-stroke average. He has led the Bears to three consecutive NCAA Championship appearances and ranks third in program history with a career average of 71.93 over 94 rounds. This summer, he won the prestigious North & South Amateur title at Pinehurst.:
 
Baylor was my dream school as a kid. I have bled green and gold most of my life. I am humbled to represent Baylor University because it has been a part of my family for many generations. Over 30 members of my family have attended Baylor. I remember going to the Elite Eight in Houston when Tweety Carter and LaceDarius Dunn played for the Bears and watching RGIII win the Heisman as a kid. Baylor is important to my family and has done so many incredible things in my life over the last three years.
 
I am forever grateful that I decided to come to Baylor as it wasn't an easy path. I verbally committed to Texas A&M my sophomore year of high school. During my junior year, Coach McGraw became the head coach at Baylor. He is arguably the best college golf coach to ever live and I strongly believe that. As I was entering my senior year of high school, my brother, Luke, took an unofficial visit to Baylor. When he came home, he had nothing but great things to say about the school, the plans for a new facility, and most importantly Coach McGraw. My parents and Luke spoke very highly of him as a potential coach, but they were more excited about his faith and who he was as a man.
 
I decided to take a visit to Baylor that semester and fell in love with the atmosphere in Waco. I loved every second of my visit and had no doubt in my mind this is where God wanted me to be. It was not an easy decision to make as decommitting in golf is very rare. I signed with Baylor and can honestly say it was one of the best decisions I have ever made.
 
I came to Baylor with honestly no expectations. As an athlete, I really wanted to play in every tournament and compete for a National Championship. Luckily, I had an outstanding freshman year and got to accomplish both of those.
 
There truly is nothing like playing on a team in golf. You only get so many opportunities in golf to play alongside people, and that's what makes college golf so much fun. I made so many amazing memories that year as we were ranked #1 in the nation at one point and made it to match play at the NCAA National Championship. We did things that year no other team had done in Baylor golf history, and that's what made our quarterfinal loss to Oklahoma so heartbreaking. My freshman year taught me a lot about believing in myself but more importantly what it means to be a good teammate.
 
It's hard to talk about my three years at Baylor without mentioning injuries. It has been a constant battle facing multiple wrist injuries and trying to overcome the mental struggles that come with hurting your wrist. My freshman year is when I started noticing pain in my left wrist. It started in April of 2017, right before we started our postseason run. I remember playing in The Maxwell in Oklahoma when I started to have problems. That tournament, I would have to take my left hand off the club immediately after contact with the ball because a sharp pain would shoot up my left arm. I met with the training staff after the event back in Waco and got a cortisone shot before we left for the Big 12 Championship. At the time, they determined it was just tendinitis and thought the cortisone would help heal my wrist.
 
I played a full schedule that summer and had no pain throughout those tournaments. Moving into my sophomore year, I continued to have no pain and continued to play good golf. I got my second collegiate win at our home tournament that fall right before we entered the off-season.
 
I was excited to get back to school in the spring because my game felt really good and I had never experienced confidence like that. I went home for Christmas break and still had no pain in my wrist when I arrived back to campus in January of 2018. We played qualifying rounds for our first tournament in Arizona that spring, and I was really looking forward to getting the season rolling.
 
The day before we left, we were playing a round for fun at Ridgewood Country Club. I was playing and riding in the same cart as Matthew Perrine. I remember hitting a shot on hole 14 and getting back in the cart and telling MP, "Wow that really hurt my wrist!" He was our senior captain and it was his last semester at Baylor. He just said to keep playing and see how the next few holes go. I hit a shot out of the fairway on the next hole and screamed because of the needle-like pain that shot up my left arm. I told MP that I would finish the round and see how it felt tomorrow. I am so thankful for Matthew that day because stubborn me would've definitely played the next three holes through the pain. He basically forced me to stop playing and go see the trainer/doctor that afternoon. They told me I needed to stay home and get an MRI to make sure nothing serious was wrong with it.
 
To this point in college, I had never sat on the bench. I had played every event, and found myself pretty frustrated with the news I had just received. It was an extremely humbling time for me because I was the only guy on the team who stayed home that week. I got an MRI the following week and had some partial tears of cartilage in my wrist/hand. I went to multiple doctors to get different opinions to make sure I didn't end my golf career. We ended up getting another cortisone shot and I didn't play golf from January through the end of March in 2018.
 
Those three months were very lonely, and I spent a lot of time in my room. I was very frustrated with God and didn't understand why this was happening again while I was playing my best golf. Thankfully, I play for two incredible coaches who mentored me through that time. I also spent a lot of time talking with my mentor, Travis Woolf, who showed me James 1. This chapter in the Bible has stuck with me throughout the last few years, knowing that we are going to face many trials as believers. I'll get more into my faith later on.
 
I got back in the lineup in April and played through Nationals with the team. It was a very frustrating result as we finished dead last in the National Championship. I was worn out and mentally drained from golf. It was so frustrating to come back and honestly not really help the team. Thankfully, I had no pain in my wrist during those tournaments, but still decided to take the summer slow and get healthy.


 
I only played two tournaments that summer of 2018 and went on a mission trip to Ecuador instead of focusing so much on golf. My eyes were opened that week and a lot of things were put into perspective. I found myself putting my identity in golf before that mission trip and let golf decide the person I would be that day. In Ecuador, my heart was opened to people who loved Jesus and were full of joy even though they had nothing. I had never experienced that kind of joy, and I am thankful for Jesus using those people to reach me at a difficult time in my life.
 
Fast forward to August of 2018, my junior year at Baylor. I worked really hard at the end of the summer to be ready for the fall semester. We had two tournaments that we didn't finish well in as a team. We won SMU's tournament, and it was the first time since October of my sophomore year that my game felt really good. We went into the inaugural Big 12 Match Play tournament the following week with a load of confidence. That was by far the best tournament and most special week I have had at Baylor. Our team went undefeated and we won the championship match against Kansas. Everything just felt like it was going our way that week, and I was pumped to see what we could do that year.
 
To that point in the semester, I had experienced no pain in my wrist. The following week was our home tournament in Dallas. We played the first round, and I remember feeling something pop in my left wrist. I had felt no pain like this before and was pretty emotional because I knew I had injured it again. I played out the tournament with a lot of pain but tried to keep it to myself so it wouldn't affect my coaches or teammates. I met with coach after the tournament and explained to him the pain I was feeling. The next day, Coach McGraw and I met with my trainer, Austin Lewis, who I will explain more about later, to discuss the pain I started to feel again. This time, it was worse than any pain I had felt before. We got another MRI, and the first thing I heard when we got the results back was "You're going to need surgery." I can't explain how devastated I was hearing that from the doctor. I knew it would most likely fix my problem, but there's always a chance the surgery doesn't go well and I'm done playing golf forever.
 
In scientific terms, my ECU tendon had come out of its sheath and was snapping in and out of place. I also had some partial tears of cartilage in my left hand. I had surgery on November 8, 2018, to repair my ECU tendon and clean the damaged cartilage. I had to wear a cast that went up to my elbow for six weeks and then rehab for another three weeks before I could start hitting golf balls.
 
I am forever thankful for Austin Lewis, who spent countless hours rehabbing my wrist and getting me healthy again. I owe so much to him because he is the reason I am playing golf pain-free today. I learned a lot about myself throughout those three months because I had golf stripped away from me for the third time in my college career. It was cool to see me use a time where I hit rock bottom to grow in my faith and the community around me.
 
I have always been told by my family that golf is not who I am, it's what I do. I never really knew what the meant until sitting in the shower with a Ziploc bag over my arm, realizing that if golf was taken from me would I still be the same person?
 
God works in mysterious ways, and He takes you through trials to teach you character and how to trust in Him. James 1:2-4 says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
 
These verses helped me to understand how God used a nagging wrist injury to give my complete attention to Him. I could sit here and whine about injury after injury, but that's not what I'm called to do. He has gifted me with a talent to play golf, and I guess He needed me to lean into His word so I can glorify Him through this game. I also want to give a little credit to Colin Kober, who has been an incredible friend to me the last three years. Colin, thank you for encouraging me and being there for me when I hit rock bottom multiple times. You know things about me nobody else does and I am forever blessed by our friendship.


 
Fast forward to this summer, and I am 100 percent healthy and playing golf again. Last week, I won the North & South Amateur at Pinehurst. If someone would've told me in November that I would win this tournament I would've laughed at that person and said "no chance." We serve a God who loves far greater than anyone could ever love. He has been faithful to me throughout this whole process, and I wouldn't ask for these last three years to go any other way. It has shaped me into the man I am today, and I couldn't thank Baylor more for showing me how to love Jesus and others.
 
In two months, I will be starting my senior year. It is surreal to think how fast the last three years have gone by. I can't wait for next year, because my brother, Luke, will be playing on the team. He and my other brother, Sam, are two of my very best friends. I want to conclude this paper by giving advice to Luke (and future Sam) that I wish I would've known before entering into my freshman year.
 
Luke, you are a huge role model to me and I love you so much. I will be praying for you the next few weeks as you prepare yourself for college. There are a few things I want you to know that I wish I knew when I was in your position. Community is so important as you move away from home. You need to find people outside of the golf team to help hold you accountable and loosen you up. I wish I did this three years ago, because you are going to face lonely times your first semester and it is important to have multiple people to call when you miss home. I also want you to know that you are playing for two of the best coaches in college golf. They want what is best for you, and it is vital to use the knowledge they have. Do not be afraid to go to them for advice or encouragement. Lastly, call home. I wish I had called home more my first semester at Baylor. Never lose the relationship we have with mom and dad, because we are blessed to have such loving parents. We all love you so much, and I am more than excited to call you my teammate this year!
 
Thank you to Coach McGraw and Coach Blagg for making me a better golfer but more importantly a better man. I have walked through many hard times at Baylor and owe a lot to you guys for getting me back to who I am.
 
Thank you to Austin Lewis for getting me healthy. Words cannot describe the gratitude I have for you and the time we spent together the last two years. You helped me get back my confidence and health.
 
Thank you to my teammates for believing in me and pushing me daily. I wouldn't want to play alongside anyone else, and you guys are definitely my brothers for life.
 
Thank you to my family. Dad, thanks for leading me so well. You have taught me how to encourage others even when I don't feel encouraged. Mom, thanks for being my rock and leading me in my faith the last three years. Luke, I can't wait to be your teammate and captain. You are extremely talented, and I look up to you so much. Sammy, I love you, dude. People are so lucky to know you and your heart. You love Jesus, and it is so fun to watch you pursue Him. You also happen to be a stud on the golf course.
 
Nana and Papa, thank you for introducing me to the game of golf and believing in me since day one. I love you guys so much. Granny and Daddy D, thank you for loving me and working so hard to learn the game of golf!
 
Lastly, thank you Baylor Family. You have been so good to me, and I hope to give back what you have given to me. You have blessed me with so many incredible memories and friends.
 
Sic 'em Bears,
 
Coop 



Previous Champions' TriBUne Features
Baseball - Richard Cunningham (June 27, 2019)
Men's Tennis - Jimmy Bendeck (June 14, 2019)
Baseball - Shea Langeliers (May 30, 2019) 
Track & Field - Kiana Horton (May 22, 2019)
Men's Golf - Garrett May (May 9, 2019)
Women's Golf - Maria Vesga (May 2, 2019)
Acrobatics & Tumbling - Camryn Bryant (April 25, 2019)
Equestrian - Shannon Hogue (April 16, 2019)
Women's Tennis - Angelina Shakhraichuk (April 9, 2019) 
Women's Basketball - Lauren Cox (March 22, 2019)
Track & Field - Wil London (March 7, 2019)
Men's Basketball - Jake Lindsey (March 4, 2019)
Softball - Nicky Dawson (Feb. 21, 2019)
Baseball - Josh Bissonette (Feb. 14, 2019)
Men's Tennis - Will Little (Jan. 31, 2019)
Men's Basketball - King McClure (Jan. 17, 2019)
Women's Basketball - Chloe Jackson (Jan. 3, 2019)
Football - Blake Blackmar (Dec. 13, 2018)
Volleyball - Braya Hunt (Nov. 29, 2018)
Soccer - Jackie Crowther (Nov. 16, 2018)
Cross Country - Alison Andrews-Paul (Nov. 8, 2018)
Football- Ira Lewis (Nov. 6, 2018)