REFERENCES

Brent Conley

Title:

La Quinta High School Varsity Baseball Coach

Organization / School:

La Quinta High School

Phone Number:

760-774-7432

Email:

Brent.Conley@dsusd.us

Recommendation:

To Whom it May Concern, I am writing you today in regards to Justin Cooney. I have had the privilege of getting to know this young man for the last two years. When evaluating someone for a recommendation, I must first ensure the candidate has several necessary attributes. They must be intelligent, hard working, and also motivated. These are three traits that anyone who wants to be successful must possess and Justin has all three and so much more. On the baseball field Justin has become a leader amongst his peers , and his work ethic has given him the opportunity to become an integral part of our program. In that time span,. What sets Justin apart from other young men is his ability to take his success on the field and apply that off the field. Many people would see it as enough to be a talented and successful baseball player, but Justin has realized the importance of education and has taken the traits that make him a success on the baseball field, and used that to be a success in the classroom. The toughest part of being a coach is helping my young men realize that they are students first and then athletes second. I have never once had to remind Justin of this. He has enrolled himself into many IB and AP courses which are very rigorous and demanding and has found a way to be at the top of his class while also maintaining his success on the field. This success in both facets of life is a testament to Justin's character. Justin is someone I am very proud of and he deserves all the success he has achieved and all the success he will achieve in the future. Justin is someone I highly recommend and I know that he will be successful in anything he puts his mind to. Sincerely, Brent Conley Teacher/Varsity Baseball

Additional Information:

Coach Conley motivates me and helped me discover my potential in baseball and life as well. He is an excellent coach and mentor, both on and off the field. He has taught me a vast amount of lessons but there are a few that stand out. He told me that even the best fall down and struggle but what makes a good athlete different from a great athlete is the mental attitude towards failure. You have to be willing to accept it, and once you do, you begin to improve your ability to play the game.

Justin Cooney's Personal Statement

Recommendation:

My profile is designed to serve as a calling card to introduce you to my accomplishments and interests as a young man who has dedicated his life to creating a winning spirit not only for myself, but also for my teammates, my family, as well as others. I am always looking forward to new opportunities and I continue to take on projects to further my self-esteem and help others. I credit much of my character and zest for life to my beautiful mother, who I describe as being “one heck of a lady.” Captured here are some of my personal and career highlights for your consideration. Born in San Ramon, CA and raised in La Quinta, CA with an older brother Brendan, I have been playing sports and especially one of the things I hold most dear, baseball, since I was three years old. I know how important it is to academically succeed and am proud to have achieved a 4.06 GPA this semester and a cumulative 3.82 GPA at the conclusion of my junior year and hope to reach a cumulative 4.0 GPA next year. I want to gain a broader view of the world and develop a deeper appreciation of history, international relations, geography and literature and of course, sports. These valuable learning skills and perspectives will assist me throughout my high school senior year and prepare me for my college-level academic demands. I intend on pursuing a career in orthopedic sports medicine so I can help others prevent injuries or that have suffered injuries to their bones, connective tissues, ligaments, tendons, and muscles. As a baseball player, a few of the most important muscle groups no matter which position you play are the core muscles of the abdomen, hips and torso. These muscles are the main key factors in baseball and I work on them every single day. Baseball…the beautiful game I fell in love with when I picked up my first baseball at the age of three…is my passion. To some, baseball is just a sport but to me, baseball represents much more. To me, it represents consistency, the ability to deal with adversity, hope, faith, happiness, and most importantly, the relationships you build with your teammates and coaches. My mom told me that when I was learning to talk that I said “ball” before I said “mama.” The marvelous journey began fourteen years ago on Christmas day when my mother bought me a plastic bat and ball from Toys R’ Us. Nobody would have guessed that I would take it this far. When I was ten years old I had dreams about playing professional baseball and I know that one day my dreams will become a reality. My mother spent ten dollars on two pieces of plastic and those two pieces sparked my passion for baseball. I remember the first baseball game I played in (tee-ball) and my mother standing on the foul line cheering me on. She is one of the main reasons why I fell in love with this beautiful game. Through all the years of playing baseball I’ve learned many lessons and one very important one was what separates a good baseball player from a great one, the mental attitude you carry on and off the field when things do not go your way. The truth is, life never goes the way you plan and you have to be willing to adapt and change according to the situation, just like baseball. I attribute much of my drive in life to my beautiful grandmother (Grams) who passed away in 2011. She motivated me day in and day out about the Lord and life. She inspired me and taught me many lessons including faith, confidence, patience, and kindness. I hope this personal statement has given you a glimpse of the person I am and all the attributes I have to offer both academically and athletically and I thank you for giving me the opportunity to share a little bit about myself. Sincerely, Justin Cooney-Sylk Class of 2015 760-397-7442 JustinCooney2015@gmail.com

Patrick Evans

Title:

Head Coach-The Desert Prospects

Organization / School:

The Hitting Zone/Desert Prospects

Phone Number:

925-522-1666

Website link:

www.facebook.com/DesertProspectsBaseballSoftballClub?ref=stream

Additional Information:

I have known Coach Patrick for many years. He played professional baseball and I have had the honor of playing on his teams over the years. I have also had the opportunity of having him as a hitting coach. He is a great coach/mentor and I have learned a lot from him including the mental side of baseball.

Matt Stark

Title:

Head Coach-San Bernardino Posse's

Organization / School:

International Performance Baseball

Phone Number:

714-970-2255

Email:

mstark@performancebaseball.net

Website link:

www.sportsforceonline.com/Justin-Cooney-Reference-Coach-Stark.jpeg

Recommendation:

Additional Information:

Coach Stark is an ex professional baseball player. He loves the game and does his best to improve his athletes on and off the field. He cares about his players and I highly respect him.

Carrie Isbell

Title:

Anatomy Teacher

Organization / School:

La Quinta High School

Phone Number:

760-772-4150

Email:

Carrie.Isbell@dsusd.us

Additional Information:

Miss Isbell is a wonderful teacher who comes to a lot of our games and supports us. She cares about her students and is always there for them. I loved her anatomy class and I worked hard, receiving an A.