Strong Safety Travis Fitzgerald Cook Jr. isn’t easily tricked on the football field – as a former receiver, he pretty much knows where the ball is going and his three key interceptions this year on the field prove that.

But Monday, September 20, 2014, Travis found himself surprised by a TV crew coming into the cafeteria with Dean of Academics Mr. Mario Root.

“It was Homecoming week and Monday was ‘Tacky Day,’ so I was dressed pretty badly,” he remembers with a laugh. “My mom reminded me that morning that I was to interview with St. Mary’s College about 12:30 p.m., so I’d better change into my uniform before lunch to be presentable - and ready” he says. What he wasn’t ready for was what happened next.

Travis reports, “I was about to walk out of the cafeteria when I see Mr. Root and a TV crew behind him walking in, looking at me. I figured it was a spot about the Bishop Dunne 100 Dinner that was happening Wednesday night.” But, instead, it was Travis the crew wanted to interview, as he was being chosen “Channel 11 Scholar Athlete of the Month.”

“I was stunned,” Travis says, laughing at the memory now. “I had no idea. It wasn’t until after it was all over that I realized that my mom had tricked me to get me into my uniform before the camera crew showed up.”

Travis himself has been showing up a lot lately, both academically and on the football field. His big interception came in the Argyle Liberty Christian game two weeks ago, as the final minutes were winding down and Argyle was getting into position to kick a field goal. As a former receiver for the Falcons, Travis now calls the defensive plays for the team, and admits that his interception probably saved the game. “We practice all week on those plays. Coach Williams is great about it. And Coach Michael Johnson says that, ‘Big time players make the big time plays in the big time games.’ All the coaches and the players were pumped for that game.”

Last week’s Homecoming win against cross-town rival Bishop Lynch has been his favorite game so far this year. Of the outcome Travis says, “Beating them last year for the first time in decades was so great. But beating them again this year – on Homecoming – and doing it so well was even better.” “Better” is what Travis strives for each day: to be a better student, a better football player, a better man. A member of Concord Baptist Church, he spends what little free time he has with his SOUL group “Students Operating Under the Lord,” which often means he leaves football practice at 6:30 p.m. and heads straight to church to fellowship. He’s also training for the “Beaux and Deb for Christ Ball” next spring, which means learning how to dance a waltz and become closer to God in all areas of his life. “Ultimately,” he says, “I get to wear a tux and present a debutante. But the training is all about how to be a better man of God.”

Last summer his Youth Pastor surprised him by asking him to speak at the Back to School rally at Concord Church. “That was in front of about a thousand students,” Travis recalls, adding, “I was nervous at first, but with God’s help, I got through it just fine.”

He credits his parents for his success so far in life, explaining, “My parents were high school sweethearts at Carter. My dad is the smartest guy I know. And my mom is the most organized.” Travis Sr. is a sales account executive with Coca Cola and mother Sona works at Health and Human Services in their finance department. Both attended the University of Texas in Arlington, and Mrs. Cook went on to earn a graduate degree from Texas Woman’s’ University. Travis plans to go a little farther to attend college, with Baylor in Waco his top choice, and possibly UCLA in California. He says, “I think UCLA would be awesome! Seeing and learning about a whole new area of the country would be great!” Missouri and LSU round out his top four choices, although he’s getting a lot of interest from others, including Cornell.

He’s already been accepted into Iowa State, and St. Mary’s. In fact, he had his interview for the latter here on campus, following his TV interview with Channel 11 and the $1,000 check presentation. “The recruiter from St. Mary’s was pretty impressed,” he admitted, although his 3.8 GPA and outstanding résumé which includes Vice President of his senior class, Vice President of the Future Business Leaders of America Club, his membership in the National Honor Society, and his senior officer ranking in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, probably helped.

An only child, he’s surrounded by cousins, including four who live with his family. Another cousin who just moved to the Dallas area went out to IHOP with Travis and his football playing friends after the big win Friday night. “I went with other guys from the team: Micah Simon, Josh Dreyden, and Marcos Acosta. We were starving after the game. I had a double stack of blueberry pancakes, sausage, eggs – you name it,” he laughs.

If he had to name a favorite teacher on campus, he’d begin with Sister Carol, his 7th grade math teacher. “She’s just so nice. She’s funny and kind and just the most wonderful woman,” he notes. Other teachers he’s come to love include Ms. Pineda for Spanish, and Ms. Bove for Anatomy and Earth Science classes. He also admires all of his coaches, recognizing that they are the kind of men he wants to be like. His summer was spent working at his church’s Fellowship Academy camp for children. During the school year Travis works the scoreboard at middle school football and basketball games, and he spends many weekends volunteering with either the NHS or FCA clubs for groups such as Hearts and Hammers.

After this football season he’ll be back on the basketball court as the point guard, with a state championship as his team goal. And then back on the track this spring competing in the high jump and triple jump.

His plan to become a mechanical engineer and a career in aerospace is on target. “Whatever God has in store for me, I’m just following His plan,” says Travis. In the meantime, this Falcon will fly down the football field and jump high to intercept a football, to help lead his team into the record books, to inspire future Falcons to be their best.

“For it is God who is working in you; he helps you want to do what pleases him, and he gives you the power to do it.” Philippians 2:13