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3/12/2007 Sports, like life, can come to an abrupt end with virtually no notice at any time. In the blink of an eye, the Novi hoops and hockey teams saw their District Championship and State Championship hopes dashed within 24 hours of each other. But that's not to say their accomplishments won't be remembered, and to those that didn't enjoy the ride, catch yourself before it's too late. Consider the case of Cole Cook, a young man you've never heard of but might someday. He's a talented high school pitcher in California, a senior at Palisades High School. With a potential major league fastball and a baseball scholarship at Pepperdine University waiting for him, one would think he has it made. But he is perpetually haunted by his older brother's situation. He too, was a great pitcher with bright future until he was stricken with a severe form of cancer that spread quickly to his lymph nodes. Soon his daily routine of 3-mile runs and weight training was replaced by chemotherapy. His grit and will allowed him to fight through and survive, but his dream of becoming a major league baseball player was taken away forever. He now acts as a mentor to his younger brother Cole, teaching him to enjoy every aspect of his fleeting athletic career. Make no mistake, the time spent on the sports playing fields is ephemeral at best for anyone. On this day, Cole was grousing about having to do extra pushups until his brother reminded him that sooner than he might think, his sport career would be over, so he'd better enjoy the ride. Both Novi Wildcat basketball and hockey teams have
plenty of returning players so there is always next year and the
opportunity to enjoy a new ride. That alone is worth celebrating. (c) 2007 Novi
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