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June 24, 2010
FAYETTEVILLE, NC - John Michael Cole realized a dream on Tuesday. A Fayetteville native and 2010 graduate of Cape Fear High School, Cole signed a National Letter of Intent to play golf at Fayetteville State University beginning in the fall. With FSU's penchant for winning Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) and national tournaments, Cole realized he didn't have to go far to compete against some of the best golfers in the country. "College has always been a No. 1 priority for me," said Cole, who will major in business. "I want to come in and be an All-American as a freshman. It's good that I won't be a few hours away from my parents and family, so I'll have a lot of support in making the transition to college life."
Cole started playing competitively in eighth grade at the urging of his father, Michael and mother, Gloria Cole. His parents agreed that legendary FSU Head Coach Raymond McDougal was influential in getting John Michael to sign with the Broncos. "Coach McDougal has been so inspirational and so positive," Gloria Cole explained. "That's one thing that has really impressed us about Fayetteville State. We talked to a lot of different schools, but I admire Coach McDougal. He had a great approach with John Michael from the very beginning. We think Coach McDougal is a role model for these young men. That really impressed me." During his four years at Cape Fear, Cole finished third in the 2009 Regional Tournament at Gates Four, made the state tournament as a junior at Pinehurst No.4 and was named All-Conference his final three years of high school. He finished second in the Two Rivers conference as a junior and second in the Mid-South conference as a senior. Perhaps his biggest accomplishment came when he won the Cumberland County Match Play Championship at Highland Country Club in May. "That's a really big tournament in the county," Michael Cole said. "There are a lot of good players. We're not sure, but he might be the youngest one to win the match play." McDougal was familiar with Cole because of his affiliation with Baywood Golf Club in Fayetteville. "The first time I saw him, I didn't even know he was a senior," said McDougal. "We need players and I watched him over sometime and saw his skill. He'll be a great addition to the Fayetteville State golf program." Before enrolling in August, John Michael said he has a few things to work on. "We're going to work on ball striking a lot," he said. "We'll be doing a lot of short game work this summer - chipping and putting.
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