Warren senior goalkeeper Ethan Cole is back to his old self.
For Cole, “back” has been a key word. During his sophomore year, he suffered a herniated disk that required surgery. The injury created significant uncertainty for him.
“The hardest part, both physical and mentally, for me was not knowing when I was going to be back,” he said. “If I had a torn ACL or another injury, you know the amount of months you would be out. With my injury, I didn’t know. It put me in a spot where I couldn’t do any of the stuff I did before.”
Cole, who had played three sports as a freshman, said the six-month recovery period tested him. He stopped playing basketball.
“I couldn’t do anything because I was almost a completely different person,” he said. “It was really hard for me. I was not as physically strong as I was nor had the same abilities.”
The 6-foot-2 Cole, who had shown promise as a sophomore while starting 16 games and recording a 0.76 goals-against average, eventually returned to the starting lineup last season. He allowed 1.28 goals per game.
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Warren coach Jason Ahonen is glad to see Cole on the field again for the Blue Devils (2-1). Cole recorded four saves during Warren’s season-opening 1-0 loss to Prairie Ridge on Aug. 28.
“Ethan worked his way back into the mix,” Ahonen said. “I was happy to see him out there and moving around with normalcy. He has persevered and moved forward. He’s a humble guy with a great heart.
“This is the first time I had a person with an injury where they couldn’t walk. I’ve seen MCL, ACL, knees, ankles and hips. We have a ton of injuries in our sport, but a back injury is not common.”
Cole said he suffered the injury while dead-lifting during a physical education class on Dec. 1, 2022.
“It was my last period of the day, and I was having fun with my friends,” he said. “I had plenty of weight on the bar and felt a pop in my back. I thought it was one of my friends messing with me. When I turned around, no one was there.
“I started feeling the pain in basketball practice later that day. I was losing sensation down my right leg, along with strength and stability.”
Shortly thereafter, Cole was diagnosed with a herniated disk and had surgery. His father, Adam Cole, said it was a difficult time for the family.
“It was terrifying to see this big, strong, athletic kid able to do whatever he wanted on a field or court and then not be able to walk,” Adam Cole said. “We wondered when he would be normal. We felt relatively helpless, mainly because the doctor told us when you are dealing with backs and nerves, it can be unpredictable and can take time.”
Adam Cole said Ethan’s progress was slow.
“We kept waiting for that day he would turn the corner,” Adam Cole said. “We weren’t thinking about sports anymore, just about him being a normal teenager.”
Ethan Cole said he learned valuable lessons during his recovery.
“It kind of taught me to not take anything for granted because you never know when it might disappear,” he said. “I was a three-sport athlete having fun with my friends, being active, and then something bad happened. I’m a completely different person now.”
Cole said he started feeling comfortable in the net again by the middle of last season. He’s a captain this season, and Ahonen said Cole’s experience and leadership are essential for a team that had nine players make their varsity debuts in the opener.
“Ethan has a positive mindset on a daily basis,” Ahonen said. “We expect a good year from him. We have a guy who can keep us in games and has over 2,200 minutes of varsity experience. It’s a matter of him staying confident and not getting too hard on himself.”
Cole, who said he has a 4.5 GPA, is looking forward to a memorable senior season after a regular offseason.
“I think overall my game has improved in all aspects, both physically and mentally,” he said. “I think my entire game has gotten better, whether it be with the ball at my feet, shot stopping or communication.
“Having grown through a serious injury, I think that mentally I’m also at the top of my game. … I know to live in the moment and never take anything for granted.”
Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter.