Jeff Cook's Life

Cook tested with an above average IQ at age 3 and his parents sent him to kindergarden with his older sister Deanna (in the same grade and class) at St. James elementary. This lasted no more than two weeks before there were conflicts arising between the two siblings. The school recommended that the younger Jeff wait a year later, so as to develop separately from his sister. Thus, Cook's schooling really began at age 4.

The next year, when the family moved to Maumee, the Cook's enrolled Jeff and Deanna at St. Joseph's elementary in Maumee where they attended through to the eighth grade along with their siblings that followed in the years to come.

Cook fell 'in love' with a classmate within just the first few weeks of attending First Grade. He would sit next to her on the bus ride home and received a kiss on the cheek each day before her stop. At one point Cook began to feel hopeless that the 'relationship' was not progressing as fast as he wanted, so he subtly asked her on one occasion if he could perhaps have a kiss elsewhere than the cheek (hoping for an kiss on the lips). She said, "sure" but then kissed him on the forehead--not really what he had in mind. The 'relationship' didn't last long after that.

Cook was not interested in schoolwork the least bit. The only courses in those years he paid any attention to were those of art, music and religion. For the rest he simply disregarded any and all homework and studies, concerning himself none for any poor test grades that followed. His reading skills were naturally good, but his writing, mathematics and history skills were completely non-existent. While he was always interested in science outside of the classroom, he didn't generally spend much more than a few minutes paying attention to the teachers even with this subject. All the while he simply drew pictures of fishing, dreaming all the while of being somewhere else doing something else. Each meeting with teachers, Cook's parents were explained the same thing: he is not living up to his potential.

Cook was a devout Catholic as a boy. He never questioned the existence of God, much less his priests, of whom he wanted to eventually become. His concerns with that vocation, however, was one little catch, priests couldn't marry. His life aspirations at this early age were then conflicted between the priesthood or the fishing industry, particularly as a sports fisherman.

At age four his parents placed him on a soccer team. Cook's father had always been an American football player and fan, and at that time knew very little of soccer. However, he soon fell in love with the game and eventually began to coach Jeff's team. Cook took part in several sports in his childhood along with soccer, but in those years, the other sports (gymnastics and swimming) never stuck his interest as much as soccer.

In the third grade, Cook fell 'in love' once again. This time, however, he asked the girl to marry him...hoping that would progress things faster than the last failed 'relationship.' The girl mainly giggled at the time, but when they would later meet up at a high school graduation party, she reminded Cook of the offer, and asked if it were open-ended, not giggling then...quite as much at least. But in the third grade, what hope could a young romantic Cook really have? The marriage simply was not destiny, as they would both later discover the hard way.