Airport’s Andre Cook Photo by Josh Cruse
Former Airport athletic director and head football coach Andre Cook has stepped down to become the head football coach at Mauldin High School.
“The biggest thing is my family,” Cook said. “I have two older kids and two younger kids, and my wife and I talked about what we wanted for them and where we wanted to be? With the opportunities at a 5A high school in an area like Greenville, you don’t know when you’ll get another opportunity to take something like that. If we wanted to make a move, now would probably be the time. I felt it was a good move for my family.”
Cook’s tenure with the Eagles lasted one season. On the gridiron, Airport finished 2-8.
One of the highlights for Cook during the 2022 season was getting to coach his son, Apollos.
“It was awesome to coach him,” Cook said. “It is a once in a lifetime thing for me. I would have liked to have more success, but I’m proud of him for the way he handled it and the way he attempted to lead. I’ll cherish that time forever.”
While Cook’s time at Airport was short, there are some things he feels he will take with him, such as the importance of relationships and organization, the latter of which was aided by Eagles’ equipment manager Lawrence Gardner.
As the Eagles look for another athletic director and football coach, Cook hopes he left the athletic department and football program better than it was when he found it.
“That’s no knock on anybody else,” Cook said. “I think everyone should want to feel that way. As I leave this place, I know every single decision I made in regard to this football program and this athletic department was with the best interest of the kids in mind over everything else.”
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