Proving Ground: Inside Cooper Callahan’s Journey to SEMO

LEES SUMMIT, MO. The success of any elite athlete involves a lot of milestones and gradual growth. For Cooper Callahan, the process of becoming a Division I athlete at Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) started from being a standout player at Blue Springs South, US Nationals Kansas City and his consistent training and development at The EDGE Baseball Training Facility in Lee’s Summit, MO.

Although most high school players dream about joining college teams, the realization comes when competing in pressure situations. Callahan remembers such moments taking place during his sophomore year. "Probably throughout my sophomore season," Callahan remembered answering about when Division I baseball became a realistic goal. "We played against good teams with good pitching and saw that I could compete with those guys." Competing in one of the best high schools in the state provided a great test for the player who was able to see that his skills were equal to the best ones out there.

However, the transition from showing skills to getting an actual scholarship takes the help of specific physical and technical development. For Callahan, the process took place mainly at The EDGE. "I would say arm strength and athleticism," Callahan shared when talking about the areas where he improved the most. "Playing on the left side of the infield, you have to be able to cover ground and have enough power to make the play."

Apart from that, Callahan believes that the proper mindset in different areas of life became the main trigger of his progress on the field. A high-level of performance always results from a high level of preparation. "Paying attention to the little details, whether that is practice, pre-game, lifting, in the classroom, etc.," Callahan answered when explaining the right approach to the sport.

After finishing his school and travel ball career, Callahan moves to Cape Girardeau. In terms of committing to SEMO, Callahan says that he considered culture, leadership and community surrounding the team as the main factors. "It was the people that I would be surrounded by," Callahan explained while talking about choosing SEMO. "I really connected with the coaching staff well and trust that they will get the best possible player/person out of me, as well as an amazing community down there at SEMO!"

Callahan will soon go on to show his skills to the Redhawks armed with the experience he gained at Blue Springs South and The EDGE.