cookson, who did not play professional ice hockey, worked for hockey canada as manager of video production beginning in 1991, attending several international tournaments as a member of team canada's coaching staff, including the 1994 and 1998 olympic games, men's and junior world championships. as an assistant coach, he helped team canada win silver at the olympic games in lillehammer, and gold at the 1997 and 2003 world championships as well as at the 1995, 1996, 1997 and 2004 junior world championships. his responsibilities included video preparation, analysis and video pre-scouting.