Eleven years ago, Jon Cooper was coaching high school hockey at Lansing Catholic, trying to build his law practice and having fun.

No way was a career in coaching in the back of his mind.

Early last month, Cooper, now 43, found himself in an office with former Red Wings great and future NHL Hall-of-Famer Steve Yzerman. They were talking hockey and coaching.

Cooper was interviewing with Yzerman, in his first year as the Tampa Bay Lightning general manager, for a job opening - head coach of the Norfolk Admirals, the Lightning's top minor league team in the American Hockey League.

A week or so later, the Lightning offered Cooper the job and the former Lansing State Journal prep hockey coach of the year accepted. It was another step in his amazingly unpredictable coaching career, which has taken him from Lansing to Detroit, Texarkana, Ark., St. Louis and Green Bay.

At each stop, he's built successful teams, winning several championships.

FULL STORY FROM THE LANSING STATE JOURNAL

Photo courtesy USHL Images