GREENFIELD, Wis.— The name grabs your attention. He said we should call him John Hooper but around Greenfield High School, most call him Johnny Hooper. And yes, he plays basketball.

However you refer to him, he leaves an impression wherever he goes. This includes his basketball coach, who first noticed Hooper’s strong work ethic as a freshman.

“I was kinda like, 'Wow! That’s a hard-working kid,' right off the bat,” said William Jaskulski, Greenfield boys basketball coach. “Then somebody told me he’s a freshman. I was very excited about that and he’s been that way for four years. When I hear Johnny, I think hard work.”

Hooper said he’s learned that nothing comes easy.

“I learned you gotta work hard if you want things,” said Hooper. “You’re going to have to face adversity when you play sports and in life.”

As a junior, Hooper joined the golf team for the first time. They finished second in the conference. This year, with a season under his belt, Hooper will be the team’s captain. His positive attitude and leadership skills draw people in, even opposing coaches.

“When we go to meets, it’s my opinion that the other coaches seek him out and want to strike up a conversation with him,” said Tony Sibley, Greenfield golf coach.

Hooper sees many of his athletic traits crossover and benefit him in the classroom.

“I like that you have to use your problem-solving skills to get stuff done," said Hooper. “You have to have quick thinking. You have to be able to communicate with people.”

He loves business and math classes and wants to study finance at either UW-Madison or UW-Milwaukee. But he’s not waiting until next year to get started.

“He’s gotten himself into the youth apprenticeship program where he’ll be working in an accounting field right here while he’s in Greenfield High School,” said Lee Kleszczynski, Greenfield business education teacher. “He’s going to take the stuff he learns in the classroom and apply it immediately with this job.”

Hooper also gets it done in the community. He’s helped out at a soup kitchen and picked up garbage along the Milwaukee River.

“I feel like he’s getting the entire high school experience,” said Sibley. “He’s very eager to try new things and to get involved.”

Sibley also said the Hooper always does the right thing and he’d trust Hooper with his keys if he needed a house sitter.

“Everybody wants to be on Johnny’s team,” said Sibley.

Kleszczynski took it a step further.

“Here’s a guy that any dad would want their daughter to meet and bring home someday,” said Kleszczynski.

With praise like that, Hooper appears ready to take off at the next level.