Narrative Biography

     Mark Cooper is the creative and inspirational leader of the fastest-growing youth motivational organization of its kind.  Mark’s tireless dedication and relentless commitment to providing positive alternatives to alcohol, drugs and destructive behavior for all able and disabled youth, has enabled him to achieve at a level surpassing that of a person twice his age.
     Mark Anthony Cooper was born in Fort Monroe, Virginia on September 23, 1962.  Growing up in the Hampton Roads area, adversity struck Mark at an early age.  At the age of 15, Mark’s older brother was murdered, leaving him to care for a mentally disabled sister, and a mother who used a wheelchair due to nerve disease.  Mark credits the strength he developed on a precision drill and marching team with honing his sense of discipline, increasing his confidence and helping him survive that difficult time.  He was educated in the Hampton Public School system and graduated from Hampton High School in 1981.  Mark continued his education at Thomas Nelson Community College, Hampton University, and the Virginia School for the Blind and Deaf, where he also learned sign language.  Mark and his wife, Felicia Goin Cooper, became the parents of a baby girl in November 1999.
     Currently, Mark is the founder, President and Drill Master for the nationally renowned Marching Elites Association from Hampton Virginia.  The Marching Elites Association fulfills its mission through three strategic enterprises designed to address the needs of all youth.  The first Strategic Enterprise is the MOOT Camp which aims to nurture, develop, and successfully graduate academically and behaviorally challenged youth.  The second Strategic Enterprise aims to develop and operate a Technology Corridor that provides millennium technology access to citizens ‘from pre-school to seniors.’  The third and final Strategic Enterprise is the Marching Elites Drill Team which is an ‘Elite’ leadership program that nurtures able and disabled youth through dismounted drill, grooming them to become dynamic leaders in the future.  Under Mark’s leadership, the Marching Elites Association has broadened it’s scope and is well on the way to achieving its vision to “become the premiere youth motivational organization in the nation.” 
     The nationally acclaimed Marching Elites Drill Team has captured the “Best Drill Unit” and the “Grand Marshals Award” in parades such as the Wellsboro, PA Laurel Festival, and the Philadelphia’s ABC/BOSCOV Thanksgiving Parade.  The Marching Elites Drill Team has also performed their crowd pleasing half-time shows for the NBA’s Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards, Toronto Raptors, Golden State Warriors, and Charlotte Hornets.  The Marching Elites Drill Team did a command performance at the US Capitol in Washington DC.  This well-traveled unit has performed several times in Orlando Florida at Disney World’s Epcot Center and Magic Kingdom.  The Elites have also performed internationally at Canada’s Niagara Falls.  Their most recent performances for the year 2007 have been at the opening Indianapolis 500 race, Chicago’s Bud Billiken Day Parade and Hampton University’s Homecoming Day Parade.