Potter’s School senior Cole Hackett of Kentucky has numerous favorite sports quotes, but one of them seems to hold particular meaning concerning God’s role in his involvement with tennis. Muhammad Ali, the great boxing champion, once said, “Champions aren’t made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them...”

Cole began playing tennis at the age of twelve. He said, “My parents thought it would be a great sport to try… They knew it would be a sport that I could enjoy for the rest of my life.” From then, he has gone on to earn the number 4 ranking in the entire state of Kentucky and the number 65 ranking in the Southern United States. He remembers earning those rankings as a very significant achievement as well, “It[‘s] very relieving knowing how much time, effort, and work I had put into tennis and witnessing how much it really [paid] off for me.”

As evidence of the “huge role” God has played in his athletics, Cole points to his coaches. “[God] blessed me with two of the best coaches in the nation: Mel Purcell and Paul Rowton.” Mr. Purcell, who formerly ranked among the top 30 players in the world for five years and won four doubles titles, has worked as the Head Coach of the Men’s Tennis Team at Murray State University for the past nine years. Mr. Rowton used to rank number 25 in the United States and formerly played doubles with the coach of Jimmy Connors. Cole praises them, saying, “I could not have asked for better coaches.”

He continues on, saying, “God has allowed me wonderful chances to witness to fellow tennis players through my actions on the court. Tennis is an extremely difficult and mental sport. Therefore, it remains extremely difficult to keep your cool on the court. So, when people witness someone playing who can do so, it works wonders.”

Cole looks up to a trio of prominent football figures: Tony Dungy, a coach and former player; Kurt Warner, a current player and former Super Bowl MVP; and Reggie White, a Hall of Fame caliber player and minister. He explains the reason behind his respect by noting, “These are Christian men who remain in the public eye and understand their role as leaders and role models.”

Besides tennis Cole takes ample advantage of the opportunities his expansive backyard presents for the other athletic activities. For the past four years he has taken a liking to paintballing in the woodsball field and maze field in his backyard, “I love to bathe everyone who decides to step in the ring with me [with paint].” Cole also enjoys riding his Honda dirt bike and Yamaha four-wheeler at his local dirt bike track and in the woods behind his. More than anything else, Cole immensely enjoys jet skiing and wakeboarding at the lake, “Although I do not get to [jet ski and wakeboard] as much as I would like, I would rather be on the water than anywhere else.”

For his future in tennis Cole does not really know whether his goal of becoming a doctor will interfere with his involvement in tennis. Nonetheless, he adds, “Whatever doors God opens, I will take.”