Drake's Ryan Cook

Ryan Cook’s Story – Things Happen for a Reason!

In high school, Ryan Cook was a big basketball player.  His goal was to play college basketball at a school in his native state of Colorado.  His junior year he decided to join the track team to stay in shape for basketball, nothing more than that.  By the end of that season; however, he was crowned the Colorado state champion high jumper.  Everything was going great!

            A few games into his senior basketball season Ryan broke his wrist and missed the rest of the season.  Missing the rest of the season meant missing out on that basketball scholarship he wanted so badly.  He found a way to move on and continue into his last season of track.  As a result of his focus and success, he was invited to come to Iowa to attend Drake University and join the track team as a high jumper.  “I was able to come to Drake and come to a great academic school as well as be a student athlete under two great Godly coaches (Natasha and Brian Brown).”  Ryan is so thankful and happy where he is at now and has a very positive outlook on what happened to him.

During his senior year in high school he met a PE teacher who was also a football and basketball coach.  This coach was 25 years old and played with the San Francisco 49ers for a preseason. “He is possibly the most Godly man I have ever met.  He became my mentor and helped me get through many things including my broken wrist for basketball and just understanding God better.  Through FCA I got close with him and two of my best friends and ultimately closer to God.  FCA has really helped shape me into the man I am today through the people that were involved.”

            “I guess for me after breaking my wrist and having the most depressing time of my life to be able to see God working to open some other door that I would not have gone through if he hadn’t shut the other door is just amazing to see.  How everything always works for the better when God's in control.  He was the only reason I was able to get through that hard time and in the end I went to the best possible place for me in college.”

            Next time you are going through a rough time, remember to keep your faith and remember God has a plan for you.  Everything happens for a reason!