BREMEN, Ala. — In this interview, I talked to Cold Springs senior Cole Bales. He had so many great sports memories during his time as an Eagle and learned a lot in his years playing alongside so many great teammates.
“My favorite memories would have to be when we won the area championship in basketball in 2022, when we won the area championship in baseball last year for the first time in 30 years, and all of the individual awards I was recognized for,” Bales said. “It was an amazing feeling, knowing that I had teammates on my team that had my back, no matter the circumstances. It felt like I could always rely on them, and it didn’t matter what situation we were in. I learned many life lessons. I learned to always be humble, treat others the way you want to be treated, and always be the better person.”
Cole got to play with so many great coaches during his career and enjoyed that experience.
“They were awesome people. They all demanded excellence because they wanted to see my teammates and I be successful. I learned how I should set a good example for everyone and to always respect others. This experience was one that words can’t describe. I always tried my best to do what my coaches said, and it usually always worked out in the end. It was an experience that I would want to live in again.”
He was a part of some great games during his career at Cold Springs and will deeply miss playing there next year.
“In the 2022 basketball season, we played Hanceville in the second round of the county tournament, and I hit clutch free throws to ice the game to put us in the championship game. Two more of my favorite games were when we played North Sand Mountain in the first round of the playoffs in the 2023 baseball season, and when we played Vinemont in the first round of the county baseball tournament this year,” he said. “I will remember all of the memories I have made with my teammates and coaches. I will miss the environment that we would play in with the Cold Springs community, and the support that we always had behind our sports from our community.”
He continued,
“Winning the area championship in basketball in 2022, winning the area championship in baseball in 2023 for the first time in 30 years, and enjoying the time I spent with my girlfriend and friends,” he said. “The community that we have here, they would create such a positive environment for us to compete in during games. The teachers and coaches also played a part, because they created great relationships with students and taught us many things.”
He will remember and miss a lot of things about being an Eagle. He also talked about a very special role model in his life.
“I will remember and miss the teammates, coaches, and teachers that I had a good relationship with. I will miss being able to play baseball, basketball, and compete in track-and-field,” he said. “My older brother, Cody, is my role model. He had a good work ethic, and he had many things that could’ve set him back from sports, but he kept fighting and putting in effort towards sports and school. He had a successful high school career. What impressed me the most about him was out of all the challenges he faced, he did not let them bother him one bit, and he always looked at things in a positive way.”
He had a lot of younger eyes on him, whether it was in the classroom or on the field and the court, and he became a great role model for a lot of younger kids. He shared some advice to those students that will be starting high school in August.
“It is very important to be a good role model, because the younger ones are the future of our sports and our community. You need to set a good example so they can follow in your footsteps,” he said. “Always be respectful to others and be on your best behavior for teachers and coaches. Be flexible and have the drive to learn from your teachers and coaches. It will help you in the coming years if you learn at a younger age.”
Cole participated in several clubs and earned multiple scholarships at Cold Springs, but he also endured a life-changing experience that he has been working to turn into a positive.
“I was a member of the Math Team, 1936 Club, National Honor Society, and SGA. It was a fun experience, because it showed other students what it took to be a part of those certain clubs. I learned to always try my hardest in the classroom and to always set a positive example for others to look at,” he said. “The death of my dad last November was a life-changing experience, but I used it as motivation to make him proud by trying to perform my best during my sports seasons. I am the Eli Thomas Memorial Scholarship Recipient. I received the HH Technologies Endowed Scholarship, and the Cullman Savings Bank Foundation Scholarship. It was an honor knowing that I had some funds to be able to help pay for my college expenses.”
He talked about what he wants people to remember about him and gave advice to those people that want to be where he is now.
“I want people to remember the accomplishments I had in sports and the example I tried to set for others,” he said. “My advice would be to look at everything in a positive way and strive to be the best version of yourself.”
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