Not only has Cooper been a prolific NHL coach, but his desire to give back to his community is unmatched. After losing his father-in-law to cancer and being impacted by multiple children who lost their battles, Cooper and his wife, Jessie, felt called to join the battle to combat this terrible disease. In 2016, they launched Coop's Catch for Kids, an annual fishing tournament that raises funds for pediatric cancer research while inviting patients and their families out for a day of fishing and meeting the team. To date, Coop's Catch has raised over $500,000 for pediatric cancer research.
The grant tonight will be used to continue the fight against pediatric cancer through the Lightning Foundation and Coop's Catch for Kids.
Cooper becomes the 461st Lightning Community Hero since Jeff and Penny Vinik introduced the Lightning Community Hero program in 2011-12 with a $10 million, five-season commitment to the Tampa Bay community. Through tonight's game, in total, the Lightning Foundation has granted $24.15 million to more than 750 different nonprofits in the Greater Tampa Bay area. During the summer of 2021, the Viniks announced that the community hero program will give away another $10 million over the next five seasons.
