OSU commit Natalie Cook wins Gatorade National Cross Country POY
FLOWER MOUND, Texas (BVM) — In December 2021, Flower Mound senior Natalie Cook asserted herself as one of the nation’s top runners by becoming the first prep girl to win national titles in back-to-back weekends.
Dec. 4 marked the first race the Oklahoma State commit would win. Cook ran 16:03.93 at the Garmin RunningLane Cross Country Championship in Huntsville, Alabama. She’d continue to dominate her competition at the Eastbay Cross Country Championships on Dec. 11. There, she’d run a 17:15 5K.
Natlie Cook goes wire to wire to win #EBXC!
⏱17:15
📽 @Eastbay_XC pic.twitter.com/B3WlT7OTzL— RunnerSpace (@runnerspace) December 11, 2021
Winning both of these races and doing it those times, Cook proved to be one of, if not, the top runner in the nation.
“At the season’s start, Natalie Cook was a Top-20 or so competitor nationally and she finished third at the prestigious Woodbridge Invitational in California. By December, she was the most dominant prep runner in the country,” Dyestate.com Editor-in-Chief Doug Biner said in a Gatorade press release. “She scorched the RunningLane Championships course with the second-fastest 5K on record. Then beat the strongest field of the year at the national Eastbay Cross Country Championships, which left no doubt about who was the top gun in 2021.”
Cook didn’t find the love of running all by herself. Her family has been running for quite some time. Her mom and dad ran cross country before she was born. Her dad, Andrew Cook, who is also her high school coach, ran at Texas A&M. Her mom, Melissa, also ran for the Aggies. Melissa Cook would go on to be an eight-time All-American and participated in the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials Championship in 2004, 2008 and 2012.
Once Natalie had grown up, running became something that consistently motivated her. But her dad didn’t start coaching her right away.
“She went through a summer track program where it allowed me to just be dad,” Andrew Cook said. “I really didn’t start coaching her until she got into high school.”
When she finally walked through the doors of Flower Mound High School, that’s when a “fire” ignited in Natalie. That has yet to be extinguished, but it almost was.
Cook suffered from pre-race anxiety and injuries. Athletes at all levels experience some sort of nervousness, but it’s those who overcome it who excel the most. And with a great support system, Natalie has battled through that.
“Her mindset is really great,” Andrew said. “She has such confidence in herself and she’s not afraid to put it all out and give her absolute best.”
To go along with winning national races, Natalie also helped Flower Mound win the Class 6A state championship. Natalie finished with a time of 16:32.4 in competition. This prompted much recognition around the country and was awarded Gatorade National Cross Country Player of the Year.
“It’s amazing to be able to get this award,” Natalie said in an interview with Gatorade. “The past couple of years have been rough. I’ve been dealing with injuries and I’m really happy I was able to overcome it and have an amazing season with my team and individually.”
Now with Natalie’s high school cross country career behind her, she’ll be aiming for bigger goals. A collegiate cross country national title. Natalie will continue her athleitc career at Oklahoma State University.
Very excited to announce that I will be continuing my academic and running career at Oklahoma State University! A huge thanks to my family,teammates,and coaches! Go pokes🧡🤠 pic.twitter.com/ywgZMviETE
— nataliecook101 (@nataliecook101) October 6, 2021
“She wants to win a national title like she did in high school,” Andrew said. “I just want her to go out there and have fun and enjoy the experience like I did in college.”
Until now, Natalie has been one of the best runners in the nation and in the state of Texas. Her family will always have her back as she continues her career. But as she continues her athletic journey, she’ll find new competition and new challenges.
“We haven’t talked too much about college,” Andrew said. “She has a good work ethic; she’s committed and that’s pretty much what she needs to be successful. She’s fearless.”
