Cooper, 30, has been in the NIAS role for six years and at the organisation for seven years in total.

His last day at the academy will be July 30.

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As a teenager, the North Tamworth Bears veteran was part of NIAS's touch football program.

He is a walking advertisement of what he says are the benefits of NIAS.

"The purity of NIAS is it creates opportunities for all sorts of kids to become better young people," he said.

"I feel that I'm very lucky that I've been apart of that for six years in this role," he added.

Prior to becoming CEO, Cooper was NIAS's programs and events manager for a year.

"They [NIAS] gave me a really good opportunity, and I'm just so grateful to the board for that opportunity," he said.

"And it's been great to work with, and learn from, so many great people."

Cooper said he would go to Wests with "a very similar appetite" to what had marked his time at NIAS, as he looked forward to "immersing" himself in "another wonderful organisation".

In a statement, NIAS chairman Chris Ash thanked Cooper for "his diligence and dedication to NIAS".

"His commitment and enthusiasm for NIAS has been exemplary and he typifies our core values," Ash said.

"He leaves our organisation very well positioned for the future, a very commendable legacy."

The academy is searching for a new chief executive.

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