Kenneth Cooper
Dr. Kenneth Cooper is most known for coining the term “Aerobics” and revolutionizing cardiovascular exercise for the entire world. Before that, Dr. Cooper was an outstanding athlete for the Pirates. A 1949 graduate, he was an All-State selection on the basketball court, on the cross country course and won a state championship in the mile for the track team. Dr. Cooper went on to run Cross Country and Track for the University of Oklahoma. For his work after college, Dr. Cooper is on the Putnam City Wall of Fame and there is a middle school in the district named in his honor.
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2x State Placer (Cross Country, Junior, Senior)
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2x 5th at State (Cross Country, Junior, Senior)
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4th at State, Mile (Track & Field, Junior)
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4th at State, 800 (Track & Field, Junior)
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Coaches’ All-State Selection (Basketball, Senior)
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1st Team Daily Oklahoman All-State (Basketball, Senior)
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State Champion, Mile (Track & Field, Senior)
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Continued Track & Field/Cross Country Career at the University of Oklahoma
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Lettered 1 Season for the Sooners (1951)
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Helped the Green Bay Packers wins 2 Super Bowls with his fitness training (1966, 1967)
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Invented the term “aerobics” (1968)
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Part of Brazil’s Soccer World Cup Championship with his fitness training(1970)
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Helped the Nebraska Cornhuskers win the NCAA National Championship in Football with his fitness training (1970, 1971)
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Helped the Dallas Cowboys win the Super Bowl with his fitness training1971)
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Inducted into Oklahoma Hall of Fame (1983)
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American Academy of Achievement Golden Plate Award (1986)
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Putnam City’s Kenneth Cooper Middle School was named after him when it opened (1993)
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Personal Physician of President George W. Bush
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Developed the Smart Snack Ribbon for Frito Lay & Pepsi products (2003)
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Inducted into Putnam City Wall of Fame (2005)
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President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports Lifetime Achievement Award Winner (2007)
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Woodrow Wilson Award for Distinguished Public Service (2007)
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Inducted into National Football Foundation Leadership Hall of Fame (2015)
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Inducted into the Health & Fitness Association Hall of Fame (2025)
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Inducted into the Beyond Activ Hall of Fame (2025)
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Has authored 20 Books that have sold over 30 Million Copies