Cooper was a three year[3] player for the UCLA Bruins men's soccer program, playing just 33 games over a four-year period.
Upon graduating UCLA, Cooper entered the 2000 A-League draft, where he was selected 7th overall by the now-defunct Orange County Waves.
In 1999, Cooper began his career by coaching the Calabasas High School boys' soccer team.
[6] In 2019, Cooper guided Saint Mary's to a 16–2–0 record, while remaining undefeated in the NCAA West Coast Conference (WCC).
Cooper was named WCC Coach of the Year for a fourth time (2009, 2011, 2018, and 2019)[7] Orange County Waves