Northwoods Eau Claire Express

Jake Cole's Improbable Journey

July 4, 2013 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Eau Claire Express News Release


Jake Cole did not struggle when it came to sports.

Cole was a star athlete all his life and seemingly on the mountaintop of athletics. He was the number one baseball prospect out of the great baseball state of Arizona after just his first year on the pitcher's mound. He was the Arizona 4A Division I Player of the Year for Sahuaro High School in the Tucson area. He was drafted in the 24th round of the 2010 MLB Draft by the Texas Rangers, but he instead opted to sign at one of college baseball's most prestigious programs, the University of North Carolina.

Oh yeah, and if he hadn't chosen baseball, he could have turned to hockey, as he was drafted by the Portland Winterhawks in hockey's 2006 supplemental player's draft.

"He was the little toddler that seemed to throw the ball straight," his mother, Lee Ann Cole, said. "First it was hockey, and when he was about 12 or 13, we were told he could play collegiate hockey. He played all sports, but as he got older, he had to narrow it down to hockey and baseball. Then, it was ultimately baseball.

And the crazy thing about his baseball credentials? The highly touted pitching recruit didn't start to focus on pitching until his senior year.

He played the outfield for a Connie Mack team, the Phoenix Firebirds, and discovered he had a lot of strength in his arm after long tossing the ball every day. He made a decision, and the college baseball-recruiting world noticed.

"I was known as a hitter," Jake Cole said. "I started playing the outfield, and when I started to do more long toss, my arm really started to come through, so I strengthened up and got extension and on top of the ball, and then after that, it was just learning how to pitch."

His learning process ended up taking a halt, and as he discovered, a screeching one at that. The crazy thing about sports and life in general for that matter, is that nobody is invincible from obstacles. Jake Cole, the Mr. Everything athlete, would soon find out in his time at North Carolina that he was no exception.

It just felt tired.

That's how Jake described his throwing shoulder in the fall of his freshman year at North Carolina.

"I was still throwing hard, but I could tell there was fatigue setting in," Jake Cole said.

He continued to pitch, but after experiencing more and more fatigue, he sought medical attention. The doctors at North Carolina thought it was just dead arm, and his mother thought that because he threw so many innings going into the fall, perhaps the doctor's were right.

"We were concerned, but we had pitched a lot more the summer before," Lee Ann Cole said. "So we were all hoping he was just tired and needed some rest."

Rest wasn't helping. He kept experiencing fatigue in his arm, and he came to the startling realization it wasn't dead arm. He and his family couldn't figure out just what it was, because he wasn't experiencing much pain. Just fatigue. Finally, in the springtime, Jake learned what was wrong with his arm.

"I found out it was impingement," Cole said. "That's where the smaller muscles in shoulder are too weak and the larger ones are too strong, which causes your shoulder socket to come up. That causes a lack of motion, which causes a decrease in velocity. That's really when it all started."

For the first time in his athletic career, Cole was forced to sit on the sidelines and watch his North Carolina team go all the way to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb. He was virtually a non-factor on a championship caliber team, an experience he never hopes to have again.

"It was unbelievably frustrating," Jake Cole said. "I've never had to experience that before, sitting out because of injury when I know if I'm healthy, there's no reason why I shouldn't be on that field."

After the 2011 season at North Carolina, Jake Cole had a lot of thinking to do. His mother said he came back to Arizona to rest, but ultimately, she knew the conversation they had to have.

"Once he got home, we had to start thinking about North Carolina and the reality," Lee Ann Cole said. "They are one of the best baseball schools in the country, and they also have one of the best pitching staffs. So we knew he wouldn't play if he couldn't get back to where he was."

Where one opportunity ends, another begins. Just down the road from his hometown of Tucson, Pima Community College stands. It just so happened that one of his former high school coaches and teachers, Britt Echols, was an assistant coach for the baseball team there.

"I told him before he left for North Carolina If it doesn't work out he can always come home to us," Echols said.

Jake Cole didn't forget his former coach's words, and he ultimately obliged and transferred from North Carolina to Pima.

The road to recovery was just beginning. Echols, who knew of the athlete Jake once was, was stunned to see how his impingement affected his work on the mound.

"When I saw his first bullpen I was shocked," Echols said. "His arm speed was just not the same and his velocity was around 80-81 MPH. Definitely not the same Jake Cole from high school."

He was knocked down, big time. But he was far from giving up; as he wanted try to become a fielder again. In his heart, though, he knew he wanted to pitch again, and he was going to do everything he could to get back on the mound.

Cole was going to do everything it took to get back out there. He drove to Phoenix, almost a two hour drive from Tucson, three times a week to see a doctor. He finally found out some good news and learned he didn't need surgery. From there, no doubts crossed his mind. He was going to get back on the mound again.

"I felt like I have what it takes as far as pitching to make it to that next level and be a factor," Jake Cole said. "I really just wanted to prove to everyone it wasn't a fluke, it wasn't just a one year thing of me throwing hard. I worked hard and deserved what I was doing. I wanted to prove everyone one and say that I can be that way and I can do it."

It took a while at Pima, but Echols new the kind of talent he had, and he set aside a spot for Jake Cole in Pima Community College's Conference All-Star game, even though he had only been pitching a maximum of two innings prior to that.

After that night, however, a year and half after leaving North Carolina, Jake Cole, Echols, his family and the baseball world discovered one thing: He was back.

"That game attracts tons of pro scouts and D1 coaches," Echols said. "We knew that if we could get him in that game, it would lead to good things for him. He hit 92 MPH in that game and was getting calls as we were leaving the stadium."

Now, Cole is set up and ready to join Express teammates Drew Bridges, Taylor Duree and Sam Haggerty at the University of New Mexico. The Lobos are no strangers to NCAA success. They made it to the NCAA tournament this year and were winners of the Mountain West Conference.

Jake Cole has made it, once again, to a successful Division I program after seemingly falling off the radar.

"I am extremely proud of the work he has put in to get we're he is," Echols said. "I know he is going to do great at New Mexico and will be drafted again."

His mother is thrilled, as well.

"We are very happy and proud for him," Lee Ann Cole said. "It's tough to be where he was at out of high school and then to struggle for two years like that. He handled it well."

For Jake Cole, who has pitched well all year for Field Manager Dale Varsho for the Eau Claire Express in 2013, the road to recovery was long and even though he's not quite 100 percent yet, he will never regret the journey he took to get back to the level that has defined him as one of the athlete he is known for.

"You can't just set down and stop working," Jake Cole said. "You have to persevere through it and trust yourself that when you do find out's wrong, you can push through it."

Push through it and drive. All the way back up to the peak of the mountaintop.



Northwoods League Stories from July 4, 2013


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central