Through the eyes of the fans: Auburn
This season, Fastpitch News has decided to write about you, the fans. Each week, FPN will focus on a super fan and tell their story while telling everyone else how to attend a game(s) in their city.
Leading off for this series is Auburn’s, Mike Cooper.
Three years ago Mike Cooper was not a season ticket holder for the Auburn Tigers softball team but he was for everything else. His favorite, baseball, was a place where he could cheer as loud as he wanted and encourage crowd participation.
It was the first weekend in April 2015 and Cooper decided to attend a softball game against Tennessee.
“I came to the first game against Tennessee and I cheered then I went back to baseball the next day and we lost,” laughed Cooper. “The next day I came back and the girls got on to me about not being at the game and we won that game. That started it off and I finished that season out and then my wife (Nancy) and I bought season tickets.”
It’s easy to spot Cooper in the crowd at Jane B. Moore Field. He’s known as the helmet guy. He wears a plastic baseball helmet that was a promotion a few years ago at a Tigers baseball game. He wears the helmet with pride and roams the park throughout the game leading the fans and team in cheers.
Senior Sydne Waldrop and junior Victoria Draper get the credit for recruiting Cooper to be all in for softball.
“There’s something about this stadium that’s so close to the fan base. The fans are closer to the playing field than baseball and when I first started cheering, the girls would turn and look at me like, what is this? Then it motivated me by seeing their reaction and one thing led to another,” said Cooper.
Cooper has developed his signature hand motions that go with the cheers to help fans with softball etiquette. He doesn’t like cheers to continue when the pitch is thrown because of distracting the hitters. He also doesn’t do the cheers when the game is out-of-hand.
“The visiting teams, when they come in, I want them to have a good time but not too much fun. If you know what I mean, said Cooper with a big grin and a wink. “I want them to have good memories and meet good Auburn people.”
Cooper has become a mainstay with the program that they offered him tickets to the Women’s College World Series last year, all he had to do was get himself there.
“My favorite softball memories are from that trip to the WCWS. Victoria (Draper) when she stretched out and caught that ball, (Tiffany) Howard went over the fence and brought the ball back in, the comeback when we were down 7-0 and the home runs that tied it up and broke it open,” said Cooper. “I met so many people from across the United States and I even had people asking me for autographs which were embarrassing but they just like being around the Auburn family.”
The energy and passion Cooper has for Auburn softball will turn an average fan into a die-hard with one conversation.
“If you visit Auburn, the problem is going to be that you will find yourself loving the people and you might not leave,” said a smiling Cooper. “You might have to pack some extra clothes because you will love it so much that you will just end up buying a house and staying in Auburn. That’s the thing you might have to guard against, you might just love Auburn so much that you will have to stay. War Eagle!”
Mike Cooper’s Game Day/Weekend Tips:
Players to watch: Carlee Wallace, Morgan Podany, Whitney Jordan and Kasey Cooper.
Local cuisine: Chappy’s Deli (breakfast), Veggies-To-Go (lunch), Mason Jar (lunch), Acre (dinner), The Depot (dinner), Toomer’s Corner (lemonade)
Parking: Anywhere near the stadium
Tickets: If people haven’t ordered tickets already, their best bet is standing room only at the gate. Get there early, gates open 90 minutes before first pitch.
