The classic slamming rackets, the screaming at the other player, and the screaming at the line judge, all contribute to the exciting game of tennis.  Though commonly mistaken for a gentleman’s game, tennis can be one of the most emotional sports around.  Think about it.  Everyone is focused on you.  There is no talking, no applauding, everyone is in silence, with their eyes locked in at those running freely on the clay.  One Elder senior that sometimes falls victim of his passion and emotion for the game of tennis is senior Brandon Cole.

In recent matches, the senior captain has found himself cursing at other players, tossing them the bird, or even making insults at his opponent’s lifestyle choices.

Tony Timmers recalls, “He had a whole team absolutely ready to swing on him, and he loved every minute of it.  He didn’t stop his rant either.  The kid called a shot in, when it was clearly out, and it set him off.  He started swearing first under his breath and then got louder with every bad call then he finally flipped the kid off.”

One thing to keep in mind is that high school tennis is decided by the players for the players, meaning that there are no referees that decide if
a shot was in or out.  This seems like a flawed system that would cause a great amount of fights among contestants, and, often times, this is the case.

Specifically, in the match against Walnut Hills, Cole especially let his opponent know he disagreed with a call.

Cole says, “I was beating this kid, and after he made a bad call I threw him the balls because it was his turn to serve. I’ll admit I added a little gas to the throw when I tossed them at the kid. Then, he was like ‘Really?’ so I said ‘___ you and yeah, his team didn’t really like that.”

Should tennis add refs? or should it keep playing the honor game?  Keep in mind, the honor game adds to the fiery emotions that sometimes captivate these athletes.  No athlete is able to showcase his emotions as boldly and as recklessly as the Senior Captain without being ejected, suspended, or disqualified.

Imagine playing on the court next to Cole, looking over and see your teammate giving some scrub the business.  Imagine the motivation and the fire that it would light inside of you to go out and try to make your teammate’s aggression meaningful.  If that doesn’t tell you to get going, then I’m not exactly sure what will.  Elliot Reiring comments on the motivation Cole provides with his raw emotions.

“B-cat (Brandon Cole) is a menace on the tennis court.  When his finger flies up in the air, the fire lights and everyone is able to get the job done.  Clearly, the team finds a way to get it done when B-cat is out there doing his thing because we’re undefeated when B-cat wins.”

Although the tennis fan base may love these emotions, how exactly does this make the so-called “Gentleman’s game” appear?  Most likely, in the eyes of a coach or a parent, the sport would seem rather trashy.  What Cole is doing is similar to the movement the late (and fictional) Happy Gilmore created for the game of golf: controversy.  People love it, but officials and moderators do not.

No matter how unruly Cole may behave on the court, one cannot deny his ability to get into the minds of his opponents.  He makes his matches about more than tennis, and that is something an audience can applaud.  Perhaps Cole is trying to carry the torch from his brother’s era to the modern era.

In the spring of 2014, Andrew Cole made a statement.  Unfortunately, due to the censorship of The Purple Quill, I am not allowed to share that statement.  However, the result of this statement is that the Panthers are no longer welcome to play Lakota East anymore.

Cole tells, “The kid for East fell down and my my brother cussed him out as he laid there, injured, on the ground.”

No one can deny Cole’s love for the game.  Along with his love for the game, no one can deny his sportsmanship.  Although he curse you out, toss you the bird, or perform obscene actions on the court, he is the first to run up to the net and shake the hand of the opponent, win or lose.  Without doubt, if you haven’t been able to witness a classic Cole tennis match, I recommend doing so before it is too late to see a player who loves the game of tennis as much as Brandon Cole.