Cedar Vale-Dexter had one of most explosive offenses a season ago and senior quarterback Cooper Criss is entering his final high school football season with a simple goal: enjoy every moment.
While expectations are high following a standout junior campaign, Criss said his focus is centered on making the most of his final year alongside his teammates.
“The thing I am most looking forward to this year is just one last run with my teammates and living in the moment,” Criss said. “Sometimes we can take this game for granted, but we only get it for four years at the high school level, so just really enjoying it and being where my feet are while also competing and building off of the year we had last year.”
The offseason has been a familiar one for the senior signal-caller. Criss has spent the months leading up to the season continuing to develop physically while refining the finer details of his game.
“This offseason has looked really similar to last year with just cleaning up the little stuff while continuing to get stronger and faster in the weight room,” Criss said.
A major part of that development has come through his work with trainer Brad Cagle. The upcoming season marks Criss’ fourth year training under Cagle, a relationship that has helped shape his growth as a quarterback.
“This will be my fourth year with coach Brad Cagle as my main trainer,” Criss said. “Just building our trust while working with one another every day on the field. We are working on cleaning up a bunch of little stuff with footwork and pocket presence.”
Despite leading the state in passing yards last season, Criss believes there is still room for improvement. One area he has targeted is his ability to connect on deep passes.
“One area I definitely want to improve in is deep ball completion rate,” Criss said. “Although I led the state in passing yards, I felt like my deep ball wasn’t landing as much as I would like it to. We have been cleaning that up by doing drills to do with touch and accuracy.”
As a senior, Criss is focused on continuing the success Cedar Vale-Dexter established a year ago while embracing a leadership role.
“My goals for this year are to improve every day while enjoying the game and my last year playing,” Criss said. “We had a great year last year, so just building off of that foundation we built and winning a lot of football games. Personal goals this year are to be a great leader and do whatever it takes to win games.”
To nominate someone for a story email [email protected]
