DIAMOND, Mo. — Masen Cook is the third head football coach at Diamond High School in three years.
Two years ago, Mac Whitehead led the Wildcats. Last year, it was Matt McKee, and now it’s Cook’s turn to run the show. Whitehead was head coach for six years before departing after the 2022 season.
Cook knows it can take time to turn a program around and get teenagers to commit to a coach’s philosophy sometimes.
“When you have a lot of turnaround, it’s really tough for kids to narrow down the mindset or the philosophy,” Cook said. “It’s definitely tough because there’s a big trust issue that comes with that. To get kids to trust you, they have to get to know you and you have to be around a lot.
“My goal is to be here as long as I’m able to.”
The 2016 Webb City High School graduate has no plans of being a one-and-done coach. The process of giving the football players at Diamond a little stability and consistency begins now.
“It’s tough to build something if you aren’t going to be there very long,” Cook added.
Since joining this summer, he’s been impressed with the work he’s seen from his group of athletes. The work in the weight room is what has stood out to this point and just continuously seeing them grind daily.
In the middle of a fresh start, it can be hard for some players to stay bought in, especially in the midst of a 1-4 start for seniors. But, Cook says he’s been proud of the leadership from his veteran athletes overall. He’s especially seen that through their work ethic and constant commitment.
There’s one thing he knows the seniors can do to be a part of providing an early foundation to his football program.
“Instill that culture into the younger guys,” Cook said. “Most of the time — not always — your seniors are going to be the core leaders,”
Those seniors are Sean Harper, Nik Paulk, Thomas Gow Jr., Marco Benavides, Logan Rodgers, Brayden Clement, Armando Alberto, Luis Rangel, Brian Xiong, Nicholas Meza, Zachary Roughton, Roper Shaner and Jonathan Castro-Lopez.
Rodgers spoke about his goal this year in order to help Cook for the future of the program.
“I’m trying to bring up the younger guys. I want them to not be afraid to work. I want them to build the mentality that you come in every day and work. It’s not just something you can expect to come in and win games,” Rodgers said. “You have to put in the work. Weight room, classroom, on the field, everything. No days off. You have to work hard if you want to win games.”
Cook isn’t expecting all of the work to come from his athletes. He knows the work and energy begins with the coaching staff.
“I try to put in as much work as possible so the kids can see that, too,” Cook said.
The coach preaches attitude and effort to his team and expects the same from his assistants, which are Nathan Moser, Ty Shaver and Ryan Clement. He included junior high coaches Dave Marbough and Landon Clement as well.
That energy is a part of his coaching style. Cook will show energy when players do well but he’ll also use it to let players know when they’ve not done what was asked.
“One big thing about me is I’m going to coach you hard. I’m going to hold you to high standards and high expectations. But I’m going to praise you hard too,” Cook said. “I’m a very high-energy person.”
Rodgers noted that coach Cook can tone it down when he is being instructive and telling the players how to fix their mistakes.
The senior lineman has seen coaching styles from all three coaches now and has gotten to learn a little from each.
“They’re all great coaches that we’ve had, but, definitely with coach Cook his energy, especially in the weight room. What he expects from us in the weight room is a lot more than people previously,” Rodgers said.
That shift in philosophies and coaching styles has been an adjustment for Rodgers but he noted that it hasn’t been too hard with coach Moser being a part of the team all four years of his high school career.
“With coach Moser still being here, everything is the same on defense from last year, so that’s been good that not everything is changing,” Rodgers said.
Diamond has a large senior class but its offensive skill positions are occupied by multiple sophomores right now. Rafael Rangel is the team’s quarterback while one running back is another sophomore, Maddox Youngblood. Wide receiver Giancarlo Martinez is another sophomore.
Meza, a senior, is another ball carrier while Roughton is a receiver for the team as well.
Cook is looking to build and create depth for his team by the end of the season and for the future by getting multiple players that varsity experience. Midway through the year, he’s seen that depth improve.
A key down the stretch of the season is mental and physical toughness. The Wildcats are looking to live up to the moniker that Cook has given them of being a blue-collar team.
“I tell people we’re a blue collar team. We’re going to go to work every day and I think the kids have bought into that,” Cook said.
He wants to see his team hit that next level of physicality in the final four games of the regular season.
“Sometimes that can be a mental thing,” Cook said about being physical.
The Wildcats will look to earn a few more wins before the first round of district play begins in five weeks. While all competitors want to win as much as possible, there’s one thing Rodgers has really been playing for this year.
“I’ve played with them (fellow seniors) since middle school, even when we were playing flag football, so, playing for them and not myself but my coaches and them,” Rodgers said.
Rodgers is more worried about leading the team and showing them the way to work hard and being someone who they look up to, but he did admit he’d like to finish the year by earning some individual awards in conference or district.
Diamond met Lighthouse Senior High on Friday night for homecoming as it looked to increase that physicality.
BEYOND THE FIELD
Cook played football at Webb City under legendary coach John Roderique. He talked about learning under him and what that was like.
“You always knew he cared about you. And it wasn’t just coach Rod. It was the whole staff,” Cook said.
That specific thing has rubbed off on the 27-year-old today.
“I want to take high school boys and turn them into young men. To me, that’s the most important part,” Cook added.
Cook and his wife, Aubry, recently welcomed twin baby girls into the family. The couple were high school sweethearts at Webb City, Cook said.
He’s happy to have a healthy family and a job he loves to come to every day in a community and with a staff that is supportive.
