There have been many legendary men who have guided the Ottawa boys basketball program since its first season in 1903-04.

Head coaches like Gil Love, Dean Riley and Gary Vancil have led the Pirates to many victories and championships.

Mark Cooper, who announced last week that after 22 seasons he will be retiring at the end of this season, has firmly etched himself into that company.

“I’m retiring from teaching in May and it just feels like the right time for somebody else to take over and for me to focus on other parts of my life,” said Cooper, who was a varsity assistant for 10 years prior to taking the head coach position.

“There isn’t a specific reason for stepping away. This is an all-encompassing job that limits the flexibility you have. For 44 out of the last 45 years, I’ve either been playing or coaching the game of basketball. I feel it’s time for me to see what it’s like to not be bound to games and practices for four months out of the year.”

Cooper, the program’s all-time winningest head coach, has compiled a 356-234 record heading into Wednesday’s regional semifinal against Streator including regional titles in 2007 (Class AA) and 2019 (Class 3A).

But those accomplishments - including finishing .500 or better in 16 of his 22 seasons, and numerous conference and tournament titles - take a back seat to something Cooper feels are more important than wins and records.

“I’ve enjoyed every minute of being the head coach of the Ottawa boys basketball program,” Cooper said. “We have former players come back, guys I’ve coached and guys prior to that. That’s been important to me since Day 1. I’ve always wanted anyone that has been associated with Ottawa basketball to feel welcomed back. This is a program with a very strong history and one to be very proud of. I’m honored to have been just a little part of it.

“When you’re in this profession as long as I’ve been, whether it’s coaches, officials, players or fans, it’s the relationships that you remember the most. When I have a chance to talk with former players the talk is never about wins or losses, it’s always the stories away from the games. Those are special bonds that are never broken, even if you’d don’t see someone for a number of years.

“I’m not interested in being remembered as a coach. Hopefully people look back and talk about me as a role model, a mentor and somebody that did things the right way. Those three things would be more important than anything else.”

Someone who feels that would be the case is Streator head coach Beau Doty. Doty and Cooper have matched schemes and wits in games 30 times over the past 17 years.

“For me it’s been special to compete against someone that I respect so much,” Doty said. “He has built the type of program that every other coach in our area hopes they can build theirs into.

“I feel like the greatest compliment I can give to Coop is that I could watch a group of five guys on the floor from afar on video or in tank tops without Ottawa or Pirates on the front in some random gym and can tell that it’s a Coach Cooper led team. With their organization on offense and the way they compete on defense I’d know it’s his team. You are always going to get a best shot from him and his squads.

“When I became the head coach here at Streator in 2009 Coop was one of the first to reach out to me and tell me if he could help me out in any way he’d be there. He’s been a great help, a rock, and role model for me ever since. Coop is on a level across the board that all coaches should strive to be at.”

Cooper says the coaching profession or coaching style has change over time and so has he.

“I may have been harder on my players years ago, but I’ve become more relation based as I’ve gotten older,” Cooper said. “There used to be more coaches that hollered all the time and used negative reinforcement, but for the better I feel like that has changed. There is still a place for that, but I feel I’ve evolved on how I do things and do things the way I feel they should be done.”

Asked what he hopes his players have taken away from being part of the Ottawa program on and off the court, Cooper didn’t hesitate for an answer.

“Get up off the deck when you get knocked down,” Cooper said. “In basketball you are going to deal with a lot of adversity. We always talk about reentering the fight. In life you are going to deal with a lot more adversity and struggles than you’ll ever deal with playing basketball.

“I just hope that if there is only one thing our players take away from being in this program it is when things get tough that they reenter the fight, whatever it is, and don’t give in.”