By Nick Lawler
Ball State Sports Link
A lot of exciting things are happening in Ball State sports as we sit halfway through October. With that, comes another edition of Five Things Your Favorite Athlete Can’t Live Without.
Cole Pearce, a linebacker for the Ball State football team, has seen a huge increase in action in his redshirt junior season. Following a 14-tackle performance in the Cardinal’s win over Army, the former walk-on earned a scholarship.
So what are the five things Pearce cannot live without?
1. Family
A seemingly popular choice for this series, Pearce was quick to credit his family. Families are a strong support system for many people in the world, and Pearce’s story is no different.
“My brother and sister, and my mom and dad obviously have given me a great upbringing and [helped] make me be the person I am today,” he explained.
2. Friends
“I love all my friends,” Pearce said with a smile. “They’ve always been there for me, ever since high school, middle school, and my friends I met when I was younger.”
Like so many other college students, Cole has been able to find comfort in his relationships with peers. In fact, the rest of things he cannot live without largely involve those friends.
“I mean here at college, I’ve met some people that I’ll talk to for the rest of my life and create memories with for the rest of my life,” he mentioned.
3. Football
As previously mentioned, football is a passion for Pearce. Much like his teammate Jayshon Johnson, football comes rightfully last of what I like to call the “3 Fs.”
While playing the sport collegiately obviously contributes a large part of his love for the game, Pearce credits his passion for sports to the first two items in this piece.
“It makes me happy and just brings a lot of joy to my life being able to watch sports with my friends playing… and some of my family members playing,” Pearce revealed.
4. Chipotle
A new entry for the series, it turns out that Cole Pearce may be Chipotle’s biggest fan. Despite the nearest location being about 45 minutes away from Muncie, Pearce stated that he and some friends have already made the trek several times.
“I mean 45 minutes isn’t bad at all and a couple of my buddies live up there so we’ve taken the trip and spent time at their houses just for Chipotle,” he laughed.
When asked just how far he would travel to find himself at a Chipotle, Pearce boldly claimed that he thought an hour and a half was doable.
So the next time you stop by a Chipotle, keep your eyes open for Cole Pearce picking up his burrito bowl with extra rice and chicken, corn, pico de gallo, lettuce, cheese, and, of course, guacamole and chips on the side.
5. Golf
The last item on Pearce’s list is a recent addition. After picking up the sport during the beginning of the pandemic, he has found some closure in being able to “forget about everything else and just talk about anything and everything in life, have a good time, and create great memories.”
Because the pandemic has restricted a lot of activities in ways, Pearce, like many others, had nothing but time on his hands. He admitted that him and his friends would “get together probably like two or three times a week and go out and play nine or 18 holes.”
In a difficult time for everyone, Pearce was able to find something to make it all seem a little easier.
Ball State is back in MACtion this Saturday as they host Miami at 3:30 p.m. to cap off homecoming week. The Cardinals look to extend their winning streak and climb to the top of the MAC West once again.
