Playing position Name Judah Cooks Position Midfielder | Years Team Height 1.85 m Role Soccer player | |
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Date of birth (1976-11-29) November 29, 1976 (age 39) Place of birth Bethesda, Maryland, United States | ||
Education Walt Whitman High School | ||
Judah Cooks is a retired American soccer midfielder and former coach of the D.C. United Academy U-18 team. He is currently the technical director of coaching at Capital FC. He played professionally in Major League Soccer and the USL A-League and was a member of the United States men's national under-17 soccer team at the 1993 FIFA U-17 World Championship.
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Youth
Judah Cooks graduated from Walt Whitman High School where he was a two-time high school All-American soccer player. In addition to his outstanding high school career, Cooks also played all four games for the United States men's national under-17 soccer team at the 1993 FIFA U-17 World Championship, scoring four goals. Cooks signed a letter of intent to attend and play soccer at Rutgers University. However, after being arrested for battery in April 1995, at the end of his senior year of high school, Rutgers withdrew its scholarship offer. In the fall of 1995, Cooks entered the University of Maryland, but the university did not allow him to play until his legal problems had been resolved. Cooks played two seasons with the Terps (1996–1997) before leaving school early to turn professional. His younger brother Micah cooks also played professionally at D.C. United, both of them playing on the same team from 2000 through 2001.
Professional
In January 1998, Cooks signed a Project-40 contract with Major League Soccer. The league then placed him with D.C. United. In 1998 and 1999, Cooks played for both Project 40 in the USISL A-League and D.C. United in MLS. On May 4, 2001, United waived Cooks. He signed with the Charleston Battery of the USL A-League. In June 2001, the Battery sent him on loan to the Miami Fusion for one game. Cooks played five games for the Battery, then moved to the Milwaukee Rampage at the end of the season. In 2002, he played for the Atlanta Silverbacks and in 2003 for the Syracuse Salty Dogs.
Club
D.C. United