Jordan Cole Accepts Athletic Scholarship with Glenville State; Signs to Play Soccer for Lady Pioneers
By Julie Perine on March 22, 2019 via Connect-Bridgeport.com
Jordan Cole’s dream of playing college soccer is unfolding. Thursday afternoon, she accepted an athletic scholarship with Glenville State College and signed a letter of intent to play for the Pioneers starting with the 2019 season.
“I’m extremely excited to play for Glenville State,” she said. “Whenever I went down for visits, Coach Belcher and his players were always very kind and welcoming … The program is fairly new which gives me many opportunities to get playing time and work on my game.”
An honors student selected as BHS Student of the Month for November, academics are important to Cole, too. She said she likes what Glenville State has to offer.
“The faculty and environment around the campus is very nice. The professors are always there for you if you need help and don’t want to see you fail,” she said. “It’s nice knowing that my professors will care about me and how well I perform.”
Cole plans to pursue studies in exercise science and focus her career on physical therapy. There’s good reason for that. She wants to play an important role in the lives of young athletes; just as her therapists have done that for her.
The Lady Indians forward suffered an injury Sept. 4, 2018, early in the season of her senior year. The ACL rupture, first degree sprain of her MCL and meniscus came along with a long road of recovery, including surgery and several months of physical therapy. She didn’t play the remainder of the season, but she held onto the hopes of playing on a collegiate level.
“I have always wanted a chance to play at the college level since I was little. When I got injured, I thought my chances would be slim to get an athletic scholarship since not many college scouts were able to come watch me,” she said. “Coach Belcher was one of the few coaches who looked past my injury and still offered me an opportunity to come play for him. Because of that, I’m extremely grateful for this opportunity and will work hard to prove to him that he didn’t make a mistake for taking a chance on me.”
Coach Belcher has been nothing but supportive about her knee rehab and is determined to get her stronger and ready for the 2019 season, Cole said.
BHS Coach John Reese said he is happy for Cole. He said at the beginning of the 2018 soccer season that he was pushing her hard, preparing her for a collegiate career. He’s very happy she’s been given that opportunity and said he has faith in her abilities and work ethic.
Though Cole received an injury which immobilized her for her senior season, Reese said she played a phenomenal game. He’s not surprised at all that she’s been picked up for a college team.
“Jordan is maturing as a player and as a person. She has a great personality and works hard,” Reese said. “When she was injured, she didn’t just sit. She was like an assistant coach and came to all practices, encouraging the girls. She gained more knowledge by sitting on the sidelines, seeing how plays develop and where players move.”
Reese thinks Jordan Cole and Glenville State are a great fit.
“As a player, Jordan is a very strong defender. (Glenville State) Coach Belcher said he needs outside mids and Jordan could be that. She has the physical shape and works hard to have the stamina to go up and down the lane. She has control,” he said. “And Glenville has her major so it’s a perfect scenario. She’s happy. Belcher’s happy and I’m happy. It worked out great – and I think God had a hand in that.”
Soccer means a lot to Cole and has been part of her life since she was 4 years old.
“I played rec soccer up to U-10, then I was part of a travel team when I was 10 called ‘Fusion.’ I then played at Bridgeport Middle School and MSSC in the spring all through middle school and I’ve played all four years of high school, as well as for MFC for two years in the spring,” she said.
Cole is the daughter of Terry and Jennifer Cole of Bridgeport. She is a four-year starter and letterman and served as a captain her senior season. She has also been a member of the girls’ varsity and JV basketball teams, and a member of the girls’ track team on the 4X100 relay. She is a member of the National Honor Society and a member of the Bridgeport United Methodist Church.
