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Nick Cook: Man, myth, all-around amazing guy
Did you hear about the new TV show that's a spin-off to "Everybody Hates Chris"? It's called, "Everybody Loves Nick."
Nick Cook's name seemingly can't be uttered without accompanying praise like that given by Fauquier High football coach Greg Hatfield, "He’s a great athlete, but an even better person."
That phrase is an oft-insincere exaggeration, but not in reference to Cook.
As a wrestler and football player, the 6-foot-1, 300-pound Cook was an exceptional athlete as a senior and an easy choice for Fauquier Times-Democrat 2008 Fauquier High Boys Athlete of the Year. But he'll be remembered as much for his congenial personality as his athletic accomplishments.
“He’s got the best smile of any kid I’ve ever seen ? a contagious smile," Hatfield said. "He’s just a super kid."
"He's just a lovable. He's got friends everywhere," FHS wrestling coach Bryan Hurst said.
Cook's befriended people across the country, in fact. Fauquier attended many state and national wrestling tournament this past season and, without fail, wrestlers and spectators alike would gravitate to Cook.
"Everybody knows big Nick Cook," 130-pound FHS wrestler David Yost said. "He’s so friendly. You take a look at him and it’s like, ‘Holy crap, look at that big guy.’ But then he has that huge smile on his face and he’s just so friendly."
That's Cook's natural demeanor, but he's also genial by choice.
"I just don’t want to leave a bad mark on anybody’s mind," Cook said.
Athletically, he certainly accomplished that mission.
Cook was Virginia's top-ranked heavyweight as a senior and reached a No. 8 ranking nationally. He finished with a 47-2 record, taking second at the Group AAA state tournament after winning titles at the Northwest Region and Cedar Run District tournaments as well as at prestigious national events like the Beast of the East and PowerAde tournaments.
Cook is most proud of that Beast of the East victory. He went 5-0 and beat top-seeded John Hiles of St. Francis DeSales (Ohio), 6-4, in the final.
"It was our first year ever in the tournament and me making a name for our school by winning it...It was awesome," Cook said.
The heavyweight also helped Fauquier complete its best season in school history, as the Falcons placed third at the state tournament behind perennial powers Colonial Forge and Great Bridge.
Since then, Cook has accepted a scholarship offer to wrestle at Indiana University this winter.
In Hurst's educated opinion, Cook may be the finest wrestler FHS has ever produced. While Cook never won a state title (he had two heartbreaking losses in overtime in the Group AAA finals in 2007 and '08), he left a huge footprint.
"For Fauquier he'd have to be ranked No. 1 [wrestler in history]," Hurst said. "It's hard to judge different weight classes and styles, but Cook's the only one whose been ranked in the nation and he has a scholarship to a Big 10 school, the toughest [conference] in the nation."
Cook will also take his place in the Fauquier Hall of Fame. He'll soon have a plaque hung in the Fauquier High gym lobby to serve as a constant reminder of his accomplishments.
"It’s a good feeling," Cook said. "I’ll be remembered [by]...how I became a better athlete. My freshman year I didn’t expect to do anything at all. I just always pushed myself. I’ve never really quit at anything."
That includes football, in which he faced brutal double-teams in the trenches as Fauquier's nose guard. He endured dirty moves like chop blocks, eye gouges and holding, but still dominated offensive linemen.
"They’ll do anything to keep you from getting in the backfield," Cook said. "I put up with it every game just to make sure I could do my job."
Cook finished his senior season with a team-leading five sacks, 74 tackles (second) and two fumble recoveries, but he was more valuable than those statistics say.
"There's nobody in the league that could guard him alone. He's just a terror in there," Hatfield said. "You’re not going to run in the A gaps against Nick. He could control any center and it really made it easier to work with our linebackers."
Highlights to Cook's senior season included Fauquier's first victory over county-rival Liberty since 2002, a 17-14 win, the best start to a season in Fauquier history at 7-0, and the Falcons' first playoff appearance in five seasons. Unheralded as a lineman, Cook was as responsible for that success as anyone.
"He was one of best in the state in both wrestling and football," said Yost, also a senior to be immortalized in Fauquier's Hall of Fame. "And he was always fun to have around. We knew he could kick our butts, but we’d just joke with him. Slapping him, jumping on him and running away.
"I’ll definitely miss him and the whole team."
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