TV20 Meldon Law Scholar Athlete: Cooper Badics (Trinity Catholic)

OCALA, Fla. (WCJB) - Kickers are often overlooked until the game suddenly rests on their foot.

For Celtics kicker Cooper Badics, sometimes winning and losing a game, comes down to a kick and the pressure has never phased him.

“The most competitive atmosphere that there is, and every game that we’ve been in really has been, games on the line so that’s parts of my favorite parts of kicking is the pressure because I feel like that’s when I thrive,” said Badics.

Badics thinks a big kick can change game situations.

“In my sophomore year, we won the district championship off a game winning field goal. It was amazing. One of my favorite memories definitely of sports my entire life, and I hope I can get one of those again this year.”

His love for sports stemmed from his older brother.

“He was a big reason that I continue to play and play that year and I really picked up water polo and my freshman year, I also got to play that with him,” said Badics.

Badics is use to change. The senior switched out GHS purple for Trinity Catholic green. Celtics Head Football Coach, John Brantley believes Badics will do great things.

“We’re lucky to have him here for his senior year transferred down, got him here at Trinity Catholic. We’ve had about four or five all state kickers in the past here with me as the head coach here at trinity, and I tell you what, cooper is probably the most consistent kicker we’ve ever had here.”

During his time at GHS, he was the captain of the football team, received the Jim Niblack Special Teams Captain Award in 2022, the W.S. Tiny Talbot Academic Award for GHS Varsity Football and was awarded the FACA Honorable Mention for 2022 Kicker/Punter.

He holds the school record as the All-Time leading scorer with 219 goals in three years and he has been named a USA Water Polo Academic All American in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

“He’s a dual threat guy that helps in in in the high school game, he’s gotten respect to the kids because he’s serious about what he does,” said Coach Brantley.

Badics also hits the mark in the classroom, he has an impressive 4.77 GPA. Before he began his senior year at Trinity Catholic, Cooper was enrolled in The Cambridge Program at Gainesville High School. At GHS, he was selected to the National Honor Society, and he received the 2023 AICE Marine Science Student of the Year award.

" I think student definitely comes first, you got to make sure that all your grades are good. It’s going to affect the rest of my life and my college decision, and so I got to work now to be able to thrive later on life,” said Badics.

Badics plans to boot it through the college uprights and study sports management.

Nominate a scholar-athlete

To nominate someone for Scholar-Athlete of the week, make sure he or she has at least a 3.0-grade average, is a major contributor in his or her sport, and a high school senior. We’ll need the name of the Scholar-Athlete, his or her school, and as much contact information as you can give us on him or her and the coach.

Send your information to Taylor Burr at [email protected] or Jake Rongholt at [email protected]

The more information you give about the Scholar-Athlete the better!

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