HOW I MADE IT TO BAYLOR

Getting Chance to Compete on Track & Field Team is Answer to Prayers.

Champions' TriBUne 2/27/2020 8:00:00 AM

Champions' TriBUne Archive

By: Cole Hardan

Champions' TriBUne is a special feature through Baylor Athletics that gives you the student-athlete's perspective and the chance for them to share their own story. Cole Hardan, a sophomore from Valley Center, Calif., earned three All-Big 12 honors during his freshman season and has already set school records in the weight throw indoors and hammer throw outdoors. At last year's NCAA West meet, he narrowly missed advancing to the NCAA Outdoor Championships, placing 14^th in the shot put with a career-best mark of 61-10 ½. Going into the Big 12 Indoor Championships that begin Friday in Ames, Iowa, Hardan is ranked in the top 10 in both the weight throw and shot put:

Born and raised in San Diego, California, I was introduced to tackle football and the shot put in the seventh grade. For football, I had to join a non-weight limit youth football league as I was 25 pounds over the heaviest limit. This drove me into fitness. I never lost that love for the weight room, and it only benefited me later on in high school.

Fast forward to high school, I was awarded MVP for football, wrestling, track and rugby and first-team all-league/all-conference for football. I was named Player of the Year, MVP and a top-12 High School Rugby Player in the Nation by Goff Report. I also attended the Nike football combine and qualified for the Seattle Regional Nike Combine, The OPEN, where I placed within the top three percent in my position and in the top 10 percent overall. Competing in the throw events with track & field, I continued to succeed by placing 1st in the California Interscholastic Federation for both the shot put and discus. I was named Athlete of my class for my high school and broke four school records – Strongest Man of San Pasqual High School (1,350 pounds), power clean, shot put and discus – in the 33-year history of the school.

I was given some attention by Abilene Christian University for football, attended a camp, met with their staff twice and discussed a possible scholarship that never came through. Everything changed in that moment. I continued to pray that I would know and follow God's will.

Later on, Coach Danny Brabham e-mailed that he was interested in talking to me about Baylor. I had visited Baylor many times while my sister was a student, and I loved the campus, atmosphere and big-time sports programs. Previously, I thought Baylor was too good for me. I really never believed I would have a chance to attend and play a sport at Baylor. Coach Brabham gave my family and I a tour of the new track facility and the amazing training room, and I met the coaches and staff. On that trip, I also saw a Bible verse in big gold letters on the wall that you couldn't miss. It was, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. Hebrews 12:1-2."

Cole Hardan

I was beyond impressed. I realized that Baylor was where I wanted to pursue success with track, education and my Christian walk. I remember Coach Brabham taking me into the room with the Olympic athletes' memorials, saying that all these Olympians had come in and put in the work, and that's what we do here.

Cole Hardan

My parents and I got in the car after that meeting, and I remember my parents sending up a prayer of thanks. At one point, I thought it was an impossible goal to attend Baylor. But, with prayer, persistence and the support from my family, I was given a chance by Coach Brabham and my current coach, Jeff Chakouian, to do great things here at Baylor.

Just as it says in Romans 8:28, "And we know that God causes all things to work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to his purpose." God led me to Baylor, and I knew it was the perfect place for my future. I have been so blessed to be here. Currently, I hold the indoor weight throw and outdoor hammer throw records for Baylor. I also earned All-Big 12 honors this past year (2019) for the weight, shot put and hammer. I can't say enough about how lucky I am to be a Baylor Bear.

Cole Hardan