Curtis and Corey Cole are attending Concordia College in Minneapolis - St. Paul Minnesota together this year on athletic scholarships. With academics first on their minds, the two young from Fillmore also are playing Football for the Golden Bears.

Curtis is in his second year at Concordia, studying to be a teacher and a football coach. Last year, as a starting guard on the Offensive line, he found great success for the Golden Bears. He was named O-Lineman of the Week two times last year with the team going to the Mineral Water Bowl in Excelsior Springs Missouri.

I asked if he likes going to Concordia. “Oh yeah, it is a great place to go to school, until it snows. I hate the snow! The people are nice here.” He is also hoping that the team will win the conference this year. “That is the number one goal for me this year; then getting to the playoffs.” I asked if he had any personal goals for himself. “I would like to make All-Conference this year, but I want the team to do good first.”

Curtis is in his senior year of College this year, and will graduate in May. Out of Fillmore High School in 2007, Curtis went to Arizona State, and Redshirted from the Sun Devils his first year there. Then he made a bold move to come back to Fillmore to transfer to Ventura College, where he made an instant impact on the Football Team. He was All-Northern Conference, Ventura J.C. Lineman of the year in 2008 and 2009, J.C. Rookie of the year in 2008, played in the Orange Coast Bowl in 2009, and most important of all he made The Dean’s List in 2009.

Curtis and Corey are the sons of Lynn and Craig Cole of Fillmore. I asked Lynn what was the hardest part of the kids out of the house? “It is very lonely and quiet. It is hard because we have never missed any of our kid’s games in any of the sports they have played. Thank God for the internet, Craig and I can watch them on www.cugoldenbears.com.”

When asked about how Craig is handling it Lynn said, “He misses the everyday contact he has, more so after the game. He is on the phone with them right after the game, sometimes before they leave the locker room, going over the game with them.” Lynn also made a comment about food. “I have always cooked for four; Craig hates leftovers, so the kids at the high school are eating good. I just bring it to work so they can eat it.”

Asked how many times they will fly out to see the guys play this year? Lynn said, “We went out two weeks ago. We want to go out there at least two more time this year.”

She also wanted to thank the community of Fillmore. “It is so nice how all the people come up and ask how the boy’s are doing. They come into the shop or at the school or wherever we are and want to know how they did in the games.” That is what is great about this town. No matter where you are, you are always from Fillmore.

Corey is in his first year of College at C.U. When I asked how he liked being a teammate with his brother this year for the first time in their lives he said. “Oh it’s cool, He has showed me around and that helps. But he works with the O- Line and I work with the QB’s.” Corey is a Fillmore High School graduate Class of 2011. He was a great athlete at Fillmore High School. A four sport Athlete, he played Football, Basketball, Baseball, and ran Track for the Flashes. He was the Frontier League M.V.P. All-C.I.F. and All-County Quarterback for Fillmore. He was also Team M.V.P. for the Football team in 2009 and 2010. But the most important thing he was, was an Honor Roll Student, Renaissance Scholar, and All-League Scholar Athlete. He was also Team Captain for football, basketball, and baseball.

All of the things he worked on in High School got him a scholarship at Concordia University. I asked what Corey misses the most about home, he said, “My family and friends. Oh yeah, the Mexican food! You cannot find good Fillmore Mexican food here at all.”

Corey plans on being a teacher and a coach when he gets his degree. I asked him if he and Curtis could coach together one day, and who would be the head coach? “Oh yeah, I can see us working together, Curtis would be the head coach. He knows a lot more about the game then I do, He is the smartest football guy I know.”

Corey looks like he will redshirt this year. The plan is for him to be the starting Quarterback of the near future. “I hope to be the starter by my second full year here. Right now I am the number two Q.B. but if they don’t play me this year I will redshirt.”

I asked the two brothers if they get to hang out much. “Not too much,” said Curtis. “We see each other at practice and the games.” Corey said, “Our school schedule is not the same. We can hang out on Sundays. That’s our day off.”

An average day for the brothers starts at 5:30 a.m. for weight training; then off to breakfast and class at 9 a.m. Chapel at 11 a.m. Then back to class till 3 p.m. Football starts practice at three till around six. Then meetings till 7 p.m. Homework till it is done. Then sleep. On game day, it’s an all day thing. Starting at 8 a.m. till the game is done around 4 p.m. On the away-game they take off on a bus on Friday, play the game on a Saturday. Then they make their way home on the bus, sometimes as many as 10 hour rides.

I asked Curtis what was next for him. “I want to get my degree and see what the future has for me. I would be okay with this being my last year of football, we will see.” And the same question to Corey. “To be the number one quarterback at C.U. and get my degree here. And see what comes next.”

The two Cole brothers have their priorities in order; first comes education. Football is great but it does not last forever. For anybody who would be lucky to hire Corey or Curtis as football coaches in the future will be just that, lucky. They are two of the smartest, fine young men I know. The hard work they put into their craft would make any school and football program better.

As of this week Concordia University has a record of two wins and two losses. Curtis has been Concordia Lineman of the week two weeks out of four. Corey is working hard and learning the Offensive and working for the future. They are making their family and friends and the town of Fillmore very proud.