Cole Looks Forward to Track, Field at U of Maryland

It's been a bunch of ups and down for Patrick Cole in his initial experience at the University of Maryland.

The Hasbrouck Heights alumnus had a very good freshman year despite the uncertainty of the Terrapins men's track and field program.

After graduating from Hasbrouck Heights in 2011, there was talk about an uncertain future of the men's track and field programs at the school.

The hope was to generate enough private funds to operate the teams at least for the 2011-12 school year.

But the All Bergen County track and field athlete did not find out late in the summer of 2011 that the winter indoor and spring outdoor seasons were safe.

"It was a shock and blow to the coaches and the athletes," said Cole about the announcement that they would have to find funding for the 2011-12 season. "It was a little motivating because every time we went out we wanted to show that they were making a mistake."

For Cole it turned out that his new event, the hammer throw, was the highlight of his freshman year. Cole finished eighth to give Maryland a point in the Atlantic Coast Conference championships with a season-best 163-feet-8-inches.

"To come in eighth place, the last spot to score was exciting and anything I could do to help out the team," said Cole.

It was a new experience last school year for the hammer throw a new event that replaced the shot put for him which he did in high school. "I would dabble with it (hammer throw) in high school and during the summer," said Cole. "My body type is more suited for the hammer throw."

After talking to his coaches at Maryland before heading south, he worked that summer with a coach from Northern Valley Demarest High School who knew the hammer throw.

He also was pleased with his discus event where his best toss was a 158-6 at the Patriot Meet, early in the outdoor season.

For the Hasbrouck Heights alumnus just getting to compete in college as a freshman will help him for the rest of his college days. "It was a good experience to go through the highs and lows through the entire season," said Cole. "It is very tough mentally as well as physically. I'm very excited to use what I have learned as a freshman."

It was also a different feeling in the discus because the discus is heavier and bigger in college compared to high school. The size of the discus is larger and the weight goes from 1.62 kilograms to two kilograms which is going from approximately 2 1/2 pounds to 4 pounds.

After the outdoor season was done in his freshman year, it again was uncertain about the future of the track and field teams.

He said that even if all of the track and field programs were scrapped that he would stay at the school. He said that his backup plan was to be a student coach and help out the women's track and field programs.

When the verdict came in, the indoor men's track and field program was axed while the men's outdoor track and field program remained.

For Cole it was mixed feelings.

While he would have liked to compete during the winter, it might be a blessing in disguise because the weights are different in the indoor season compared to the outdoor season. He added that during the indoor season the balls for the hammer throw are 35 pounds as opposed to 16 pounds in the outdoor season. The Hasbrouck Heights alumnus said that the heavier weight sort of screws up his technique for the outdoor season.

Despite cutting the indoor team, the University of Maryland track and field athletes can compete in the indoor season, but not during a NCAA sanctioned event.

"I think I will be better with my speed, strength and technique for my sophomore year," said Cole. "I can say that I am in the best shape of my life."