A late change has been made to the start time for a Nebraska volleyball match next week so head coach John Cook can watch his son play in a high school football game that night.
The Sept. 7 match against Duquesne is part of the three-day Ameritas Players Challenge. The Huskers’ match will now begin at 4 p.m., two hours earlier than planned. The second match of the night, between Kentucky and Oklahoma, is at 6 p.m.
After the Huskers’ match, John Cook will travel to Omaha, where Taylor Cook and his Lincoln Pius X teammates have a 7 p.m. game against Omaha Northwest.
A couple of things led Cook to consider how he might be able to watch his son play football.
First, Cook read a recent ESPN article about Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer and the changes he’s made to balance his life and career. Meyer has a contract with his family that, among other things, says that his family will come first, and that he will find a way to watch his daughters play their college volleyball matches. Gigi Meyer is a sophomore setter at Florida Gulf Coast. Nicki Meyer is a senior libero at Georgia Tech.
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Second, Taylor Cook played his first game of the season last week at Kearney, a game that John Cook missed because Nebraska had a match. Father and son talked about the football game, but John Cook had a weird feeling because he hadn’t been there. He was able to watch video of the game, but it isn’t the same.
Before Nebraska moved to the Big Ten, it was easier for Cook to attend his son’s football games.
“I just realized I need to see some of his games,†Cook said Wednesday following the top-ranked Huskers' practice. “I looked at the schedule to see which games I could potentially go to, and the first one is next week if I flip (the match schedule).â€
Cook even considered not coaching against Duquesne, and having his assistants lead the team.
The athletic department gave Cook its support for the time change. In fact, athletic director Tom Osborne encouraged it.
“I talked to Coach Osborne about it, and he said it was a great idea; you need to do it,†Cook said. “He said, ‘I saw my son play twice in college.’ I think he regrets that.
“It’s a good message that you have to be a good parent,†Cook added. “I make a lot of sacrifices coaching here.â€
John Cook may be able to watch his son play at least two other times during the regular season.Â