A multiple-sport athlete whose efforts on the field rivaled his performance as a well-rounded honor-roll student in the classroom and as a civic-minded teenager in the community, Abdul Cokley has been named a recipient of the Marisa Tufaro Foundation Greater Middlesex Conference Student-Athlete Scholarship.
The South Plainfield High School senior excelled as a two-way starter on the gridiron and as an all-division selection in track and field during the winter and spring seasons.
He also volunteered with multiple organizations, participated in several clubs at the high school, played clarinet in South Plainfield’s concert band and worked a part-time job.
“I think it’s a testament to him and his family to how well he has adapted,” South Plainfield High School Athletics Director Kevin McCann said of Cokley’s ability to succeed in multiple arenas.
McCann said he believed Cokley’s involvement in football – a sport he did not play until entering high school – helped expand the student-athlete’s already existing toolkit for success.
“I think being involved in athletics has shown him a work ethic and he takes that work ethic and brings it to another level in other areas,” McCann said. “Because of that, he’s excelled and we know he’s going to have a bright future.”
Cokley plans to major in marketing at Hampton University in Virginia, which he will attend this fall.
South Plainfield teachers praised Cokley for his performance in and outside of the classroom, using adjectives such as responsible, dependable, dedicated, compassionate, and conscientious to describe him.
Cokley is “always willing to offer fellow students help,” said one teacher, while another said Cokley “distinguished himself from peers through hard work and attention to detail” and possessed “excellent organizational habits and work habits” that were “second to none.”
“Abdul is a quiet leader,” South Plainfield head football coach Gary Cassio said. “He’s not a rah-rah type of guy, but always the guy that leads by example. He always does the right things. He’s always in the right place at the right time. He’s a good all-around kid. He’s one of our unsung heroes, a lineman that goes in the trenches and plays hard. He’s a guy you could rely on week after week.”
A member of the French Club, Cokley was also a French Honor Society inductee. He served as vice president and secretary of the high school’s Impact Bible Club and was also a member of DECA, a business marketing club.
Cokley’s community service includes volunteering at the Community Food Bank of New Jersey, where he helped prep, sort and pack food for families in need.
As a member of the Achievers Group at the Westfield YMCA, Cokley met weekly to learn valuable life skills and participated in several community service activities.
He also volunteered with the Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA, participating in major community events such as the Fall Harvest Festival, a free event open to the community and featuring a variety of activities for the entire family, and the MLK Day of Service, another community event celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Approximately 700 people attended both of the aforementioned events. The former included pumpkin decorating, arts and crafts, face painting and more. During the latter, Cokley and three other high school students recited Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, a highlight of the program.
Cokley is also active in his church, Ruth Fellowship Ministries, where as a member of the media ministry he assists with soundboards, presentations and other outreach and fundraising projects.
A three-year letterwinner in football, Cokley recently received a Bill Denny/Rutgers Football Letterwinners Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame scholarship for his performance on the field, in the classroom and in the community.
According to Cokley’s biographical sketch in the aforementioned scholarship program book, “Abdul was always the first one to workouts and practice and his work ethic is second to none. Always helping out younger players on the team, he quickly became one of the leaders on the team who we relied on heavily.
“Throughout his time on the team, he has played almost every position on the O-line and D-line, with no complaints and always getting the job done.”
With all Cokley accomplished in high school, he even managed to work part-time since last spring as an usher and concession cashier at a movie theater.