Columbia JV boys basketball coach promoted to head coach

Something felt familiar when Elijah Cooper sat on Columbia’s bench for the first time. Kreiser Gym reminded him of one from his youth.

It was small. It was loud. The sound ricocheted off the walls. It was like Grimes Gym, where Cooper played as part of the Boys Club in York.

For the Lock Haven grad, a 1,000-point scorer at Northeastern, Columbia was a comfortable fit.

“The amount of support they give to the program is huge,” Cooper said. “The way the town loves the game is similar to my love for the game. It’s been my home away from home.”

Cooper spent seven seasons as JV coach and was named varsity coach this week. He will replace Kerry Glover, who resigned in March.

Coaching was almost inevitable for Cooper, whose dad Rob ran the York Raiders AAU program. Elijah has been thinking about his future on the sideline since he coached a summer league team as a high school junior.

One year after college, Cooper reached out to Glover to see if Columbia had any openings. Cooper was willing to start as a volunteer assistant. Glover, who once coached with the Raiders, offered Cooper the JV job. The connection started there and blossomed.

When Glover decided to step down, Cooper was an obvious candidate to be the successor.

“I had no problem paying my dues,” he said. “I continued to grow and learn. I think that actually prepared me for this moment because I’ve been able to see the ups and downs.”

Glover guided Columbia to District Three championships in 2022 and last season, when the second-seeded Crimson Tide upset No. 1 Trinity at Hershey’s Giant Center. Those were Columbia’s first district titles since 1994.

Eight members of last season’s team were seniors, led by Artie Poindexter, Brelon Miller and Jordan Poole. Only one starter, Ladarian Miller, will return.

Columbia is in transition. The Crimson Tide is expected to have a talented freshman class. It will take time before those players impact the varsity. There are some rising seniors and juniors who will be placed into bigger roles.

“Experience is the greatest teacher, which is something they don’t have,” Cooper said. “It’s something they’ll have to gain quickly next season.”

Columbia has one of the richest traditions in the Lancaster-Lebanon League and the program has shown it can still win big. This is an exciting opportunity for a young coach.

Cooper is being asked to continue Columbia’s success. He spent seven winters learning what basketball means to the town.

“Coaching at Columbia gives me the same rush as when I was a player,” Cooper said. “It’s incredibly fun. I felt that from my very first year.”