MILL CREEK — Jackson standout Jon Cook showcased his immense talent during last February’s Class 4A state swimming championships, compiling a dazzling set of performances that earned him two state titles and “Swimmer of the Meet” honors.
Even more impressive? He did it as a sophomore.
“Jon’s a special kid,” Jackson coach Drew Whorley said. “The amount of talent — combined with work ethic and attitude — that he brings to the table isn’t something that we’ve really seen on the guys’ side (of our program) at such a young age.”
Cook won both the 200-yard individual medley and 100 breaststroke in All-America automatic-qualifying times last season, and also helped the Timberwolves place fourth in the 200 freestyle relay and fifth in the 400 freestyle relay.
The highlight came in the 200 IM, which he swam in a blistering time of 1 minute, 49.55 seconds that ranks as the third-fastest mark in 4A state meet history. Cook’s time fell just 0.25 seconds shy of the 4A record, which has stood for nearly three decades since 1988.
“I went in pretty confident,” Cook said of the state meet. “I knew that if I executed, I could win those events. (But) I was really surprised by the 200 IM. I went faster than I thought I was going to, and that’s always an amazing feeling.”
Cook has his sights on even greater success this season, and he’s off to a good start.
Last week, the Jackson phenom earned three top-25 finishes while competing with his club team in the USA Swimming Winter Junior Nationals West meet Dec. 7-10 in College Station, Texas.
Cook’s best finish in the meet was fifth place in the 200 breaststroke, which isn’t a high school event but is “probably my best event in the USA Swimming field,” he said. Cook also took 12th place in the 200 IM — while bettering his state time by 0.13 seconds — and placed 25th in the 100 breaststroke, 74th in the 200 freestyle and 77th in the 100 freestyle.
“He had a really good swim meet down at Junior Nationals,” Whorley said. “He’s looked great in the water … He’s just the type of guy that you expect to get up and continue to improve upon what he did last year.”
Cook spent the early part of last summer competing in various meets in an attempt to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Trials. He said that he fell approximately 0.6 seconds short of the 100 breaststroke standard and was about 1.2 seconds from the 200 breaststroke standard.
Then after taking a few weeks off toward the end of the summer, Cook began logging what he says has been the best training of his life. “I’ve been doing the most solid training I’ve ever (done) — just consistently high-quality practices,” he said.
One of Cook’s biggest goals this season is to help Jackson’s relay teams earn a top finish at state. “Our two relays that got fourth and fifth last year, I really want to see them more in the second or first (range),” he said. “And I think that we can accomplish that as a team.”
Cook’s greatest strength is the breaststroke, as evidenced by his state title in the event and the strong breaststroke leg that led to his 200 IM title. “He’s got a great breaststroke kick,” Whorley said, “which you have to (in order) to be a good breaststroker.”
But part of what makes Cook so special is his versatility.
“Jon excels at all of the strokes,” Whorley said. “One of the things that makes him so fun to coach and what makes him a great teammate is that he can be moved around in pretty much any event and be successful.
“And that comes from just a really strong technical foundation,” Whorley added. “It’s the timing and power of his strokes. And he just keeps everything moving in the right direction all the time, which is a lot of diligence, persistence and continuing to work on his technical development.”
With that type of dedication to his craft, Cook appears primed for another stellar season.
And capping it with a new state record is certainly within the realm of possibility.
“He’s such a unique, special and talented individual that it’s really hard to be surprised by anything he does,” Whorley said. “(You’re) in awe sometimes, because you know that it’s unique and something that you feel fortunate to be a part of.
“But when you see all that he puts into it and how hard he works, you believe that great things are possible for him.”
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