Behind the History of Cooper's Lake: An Interview with John Papa of Slippery Rock University


Cooper's Lake is the premiere cross country course in Western PA. Last week it hosted the first of two regular high school invitationals. This week is #2 with the Mack Cooper Invitational. Later this month it will host the District 7 WPIAL Championships, and in November, Cooper's Lake will be the sight of the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional.

Slippery Rock University coach John Papa has been at SRU since 1984 and was around for the course's inception in 2005. Since then it's grown into the top XC course in Western Pennsylvania. PTXC's Phil Grove caught up with Papa after last week's Slippery Rock University Invitational. Watch that interview above as Papa discusses the course's history, the Slippery Rock University squad, and what's to come at Cooper's Lake.