07/23/2008 – Daily News Record

A.M. Chatter Daily Dose Written By Tim Chapman Former James Madison pitcher Jacob "Cookie" Cook knows his playing days are over, but he’s not anticipating being away from the game anytime soon. the 23-year-old is an assistant coach with the Valley League’s Harrisonburg Turks, where he’s spending the summer working with pitchers. He said it’s obviously different giving the instruction rather than receiving it, but that it’s good seeing his suggestions at work. "If I can just help two or three guys this summer then than’s a good start," Cook said. "They’ve come around a lot and are a lot more consistent. It’s obviously helped them and hopefully, they can stick with it and not just this summer while they’re here." Cook graduated with a degree in interdisciplinary studies and a minor in secondary education but is hoping that a career coaching college baseball catches on. He said he’d love to even return to JMU and join coach Spanky McFarland. "I’ve talked to Spanky a little bit," Cook said. "With them they just think I’m still "Cookie"." He wants me to get out on my own and experience the way other coaches coach before coming back to JMU, instead of just being at JMU for four years, and then I’m coaching there and I’m still experiencing the same thing."