By Erik Carr
BroncoAthletics.com

SAN PEDRO, Paraguay - Dion Cook is a man who is not afraid of crossing cultural barriers.

In the Villa del Rosario in San Pedro, Paraguay, the climate is predominantly subtropical and the green, uninhabited landscapes run for miles. It is here the 26-year-old prepares some oatmeal for both him and his wife, Evelyn, to begin his day.

As members of the Peace Corps, they spend the day familiarizing themselves with their environment via talking to the town's residents or traveling throughout the town.

“There is a lot of talking and eating of food,” said Cook. “We are just living life out here and enjoying it.”

Cook's world now is a stark yet welcome contrast from where he was five years ago.

In 2006, Cook was a senior guard on the Cal Poly Pomona men's basketball team. Playing from 2003-07, Cook had an impressive CPP career and ranks in the All-Time Bronco top 10 in 10 categories.

Cook finished his career with 1,252 points, the sixth-highest total among CPP players.

"He's the perfect type of player that we always preached for our players because he was a great guy," said head coach Greg Kamansky. "He was the nicest guy off the court. On the court, he switched. It's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and that's how you got to play. Those are the top players that do that, and that's hard to do sometimes. That's what we're talking about with our players right now."

His best career marks defensively occurred in steals. With 149, Cook recorded the third-most steals for a Bronco all-time.

"You hated to play against him in practice, but the games, you love having him on your team," said assistant coach Damion Hill. "He's that guy, seriously. He didn't make too many friends on the practice floor."

On Feb. 24, 2007, Cook accomplished something not done by a Bronco in 40 years. Playing host to Cal State Dominguez Hills, Cook scored a game-high 39 points en route to a 70-69 overtime victory to record the second-highest game total ever recorded by a CPP player.

Though his career as a Bronco did not begin until 2003, his path to the Broncos' domain was set early in life as he was born into a basketball family.

“Naturally, having a dad that played basketball and coached basketball, a brother that played basketball and mom that could tolerate one more basketball player in the family, it seemed like a go to move,” said Cook. “Of course, influence from friends and family play a big part in almost everyone's adolescent years, I genuinely enjoyed playing basketball; just for the fun and creativity of it.”

Growing up with a “sporadic” childhood, Cook could not develop lifelong friendships with those he met. But considering where he is now, Cook believes his experiences in a non-stationary family were necessary in making him into who he is today.

“I moved around a lot growing up, and I reflect back on it as a good thing,” said Cook. “But I was able to meet new people and adapt to new situations, which I think has helped get to where I am today in more than one way.”

In high school, the 6-foot-4-inch Cook attended Chaminade High School in Canoga Park, where he averaged 18 points in addition to eight rebounds per game to earn first-team honors for both All-CIF and All-Mission League as a senior. He also competed in track and field.

Cook's impressive abilities as a scorer caught the attention of former CPP assistant coach Steve Wachs, who along with Kamansky and assistant coaches Bill Bannon and Hill in return, made a lasting impression on the young star.

“The coaches represented Cal Poly Pomona well and were patient with me during my last year in high school,” said Cook. “Coach Kamansky, coach Wachs, coach Bannon and coach Hill were my first glimpse of the university. Doing research and looking at the different opportunities available, there was no other valid choice.”

Throughout his CPP career, Cook progressed as a player. Though he averaged only 3.2 points per game as a freshman, Cook led the team as both a junior and senior with averages of 15.1 and 17.8, respectively, to average nearly 11 points per game for his career.

"He was a physical competitor," Bannon said. "He was physically courageous."

Kamansky added that Cook was the quintessential player he hopes all future players model themselves after because he was a "beast" on the court in addition to his cordial off-the-court nature.

"He did not care who you were on the court," Kamansky said. "He was going to go through you, go around you, do whatever he had to do. Those are hard to find; they're few and far between, and that was his thing. If I could put a poster child for exactly doing that, that would be him. We preach that; we want you to be nice guys and humble and that kind of stuff off the court, but on the court, you better switch it. You got to be tough sometimes and be super-competitive, and that was Dion."

Although he enjoyed the success of being the Broncos' program star, nothing surpassed the joy he had spending time with his Bronco brothers.

“My favorite memories are the times spent in the dorms/suites with teammates, practicing with my teammates, and going on road trips with my teammates,” said Cook. “The games and the playoffs were exciting, but it was the little things that made it worthwhile.”

Aside from the originality he and his team had on the court, Cook is not nostalgic about his notoriety as a star player.

“I don't miss basketball too much,” said Cook. “I feel like that is a big part of me and my past, but now I am able to take what I have learned and continuously re-create myself. It is liberating to no longer just be, 'Dion Cook, The Basketball Player.'”

Upon graduating with a degree in Management and Human Resources with an emphasis in Entrepreneurship in spring 2007, Cook's career as a basketball player ended. But during his junior year in 2006, he became acquainted with his significant other in front of what was then known as “The Vista Café” on campus.

Discovering how much they had in common, the two wed in May 2009. Not long after tying the knot, they realized they wanted to something practical with their lives such as educating foreign cultures about the English language, and Cook credits Evelyn's dedication to making their affiliation with the Peace Corps possible.

While his childhood prepared him for long travels, Cook said his experience with the Broncos allowed him to reach the level of endurance necessary for his work.

“Stamina! All of that running and exercising,” said Cook. “I feel that I could overcome a lot at this point of my life. I still have a little more training to do though.  Also, it's bigger than just winning and losing. That whole, 'It's the journey, not the end,' thing, I don't know. My mind, body and soul are stronger than they were before I was a Bronco.”

As for his philosophy on life, Cook believes one should take advantage of whatever day it is and make the most of it.

“Since I really don't know anything, and my 'Philosophy' on my life is still in its larva stage, I am crawling to just live in the moment,” said Cook. “I think that's pretty much it; live now!”