BIG-TIME SKILLS—After watching Woody Cook compete at the Junior Olympics in Minneapolis, Oak Park head coach Patrick Quinn said, “He might be the best freshman in the country, from what I saw.” WENDY PIERRO/Acorn Newspapers Woody Cook traded in his spikes for spikes.

A former star on the baseball diamond, Cook excels at volleyball these days.

An incoming freshman at Oak Park High, Cook won a silver medal on July 3 at the USA Volleyball Boys’ Junior National Championships in Minneapolis.

Cook and the Santa Monica Beach Club U-14 boys’ volleyball team lost the final match to Halcones de Torrimar, a Puerto Rican All-Star team.

“ It was surreal winning a medal,” Cook said.

“We’ve been saying we want gold all year. We got silver. It was amazing. It was a good time to be with my friends.”

The following weekend, Cook and club teammate Matt Douglas won gold at the AAU National Beach Volleyball Championships in Hermosa Beach.

The title tilt and Cook’s postmatch interview were televised on Time Warner Cable.

If baseball and volleyball didn’t intersect during spring, he might be a star in both sports.

In his bedroom there’s a glass jar filled with baseballs—all his home runs from Little League— according to his mom, Ann.

“Less than half are home run balls,” Cook said.

“He’s being modest,” Ann Cook countered.

Cook is a standout 6-foot-1 outside hitter and setter.

Oak Park varsity head coach Patrick Quinn watched Cook dazzle in Minneapolis. Quinn was in the Land of 10,000 Lakes coaching the Spectrum Volleyball Club U-17s to an 11th-place finish.

Spectrum entered the tournament ranked 18th.

“He has all the makings of a really top-notch volleyball player,” Quinn said of Cook. “He has good size. He’s tall. He jumps really, really well. He’s really quick, and he’s smart. He’s got all those things going for him.

“At the Junior Olympics, he just dominated. His team lost in finals to the Puerto Ricans, but he was the best player on the court.”

Quinn first heard about the young player, whose family moved to Oak Park last summer, through Westlake head coach Doug Magorien.

Cook is currently doing summer conditioning for volleyball and football, where he plays wide receiver and quarterback.

Quinn is salivating at the thought of adding Cook to a team that finished last season ranked fourth in the CIF-Southern Section Division 2 coaches’ poll.

The Eagles are expected to return nine seniors to a deep and talented team that should contend for a section championship.

“Adding a quality freshman like him to the mix is going to be really good,” Quinn said.

Cook has volleyball in his DNA.

His father, Scott, played middle blocker for USC, reaching an NCAA Final Four in 1986.

“I’m proud of his commitment learning the game and being able to (succeed),” Scott Cook said. “It’s fun to see him play the sport.”

Father and son play beach tournaments in the summer.

“It’s always fun,” Cook said of competing with his dad. “He tries to make me laugh and he tries to teach me. We have a good time. It’s low-key. It’s good to spend time with him.”

Cook said he’s looking forward to starting high school, making new friends and contributing to a one of Ventura County’s most successful volleyball programs.

The youngster is also tough.

He broke his left wrist in a skateboarding accident on New Year’s Day and missed 10 weeks of volleyball action—although he didn’t know it was broken for the first two weeks.

After his wrist was wrapped in a cast, Cook still showed up to most Santa Monica Beach Club practices despite not being allowed to play in matches.

He has a younger brother, Ethan, 12, who plays football.

In addition to skating on longboards, Cook also enjoys surfing, hanging out by the pool, going to the beach, watching movies and hanging out with friends.

The Cook family has two dogs, Duke and Rico.

Many freshmen enter high school green and timid. Cook is ready to go.

“He’s as good as any 14-yearold kid in the country,” Quinn said. “He might be the best freshman in the country, from what I saw. I didn’t see everybody—but I didn’t’ see anybody better.”