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Cole Ballay Tribute Page |
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Cole Ballay, a junior
soccer star at Germantown Academy, passed on Feb. 19, 2008, of injuries suffered in an auto accident not far from the school. Cole was already a three-year starter, as well as a captain and
All-Inter-Ac honoree. GA parent Bob Cannon said of Cole, "I know I speak for all
of the GA family when I tell you that our heart has been split in two with the news of this young
man's passing . . . He was, and will continue to be, a shining example of everything
good about GA, about being 17 years old and playing and enjoying this great game of soccer. Three cheers for a wonderful kid, son and GA student-athlete. A great
one was lost." We welcome your comments about Cole, and they'll be posted below. Please e-mail them to silaryt@phillynews.com . Also, we will gladly post pictures. Those may be sent to the same e-mail address. Thank you very much.
Also please visit a site, www.coleballay.com , created by Cole's
uncle, Jim Jacoby .
Contributions . . .
Our son, Austin, a student at Germantown Academy
and former soccer teammate of Cole, first heard the news of Cole's
untimely death at school just after 5 pm on 2/19/08. We immediately
stormed heaven with prayers hoping against hope that somehow this
unthinkable tragedy was only a vicious rumor. Before 7 pm, we received
the official word from Germantown Academy that this tragedy was a
reality. Words cannot adequately express the sadness that we feel about
Cole's untimely death. It seems so much more tragic that someone so
full of life, with so much athletic talent, and zest for life, poised
for a future so bright, could be taken from us in a freak traffic
accident on his way home from school. We have many memories of Cole
skillfully maneuvering down a soccer field with a look of confidence and
a smile on his face. That picture will stay with us forever. To Cole's
parents Nan and Tom we offer our heartfelt sympathies and prayers. It
must be true when they say, "Only the good die young." Rest in peace
Cole. Heaven must need a stellar soccer star and an awesome young man.
-- The Curry Family
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Cole has been a patient
at my chiropractic office for some time. It was obvious by his many
athletic injuries that he was a true warrior. No matter how bad the
injury he never would listen when I suggested to stay off a wounded
limb. He was always pushing himself to the limits of his abilities
and beyond. Cole never got down when he was hurt, he seemed to know
that no matter what he would pull through and be back on the field
in time for the game. It was if he could will himself better. When
Cole would get sports massage on an injured muscle I could never
push hard enough, “You can press harder” he’d urge me as if the more
it hurt the sooner he’d be back doing what he loved to do. We’d
joke: “Pain: a sign of weakness leaving the body.”
His mom and I would
chat about his amazing abilities and warn him about the dangers of
the opposite sex. I could never stop myself from remarking to her
what a great kid she had. I would of course remind a sometimes
impatient Cole how lucky he was to have such a great mom who would
do almost anything to help her son achieve his goals.
I normally don’t get to
see the newspaper in the morning, but as I waited for someone to
show up for a meeting I grabbed the paper and saw Cole’s picture on
the front page. My first thought was that he won some type of award
or was selected to another travel team. I can’t express the shock
and dismay I felt at seeing news of his untimely passing.
We have lost a warrior
and a friend. Although I can’t help but wonder how his life would
have turned out I take some solace in knowing that he lived life
playing at 100 percent, achieved so much in a short amount of time
and left us all better for having known him.
-- Johnny King-Marino
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The Lovitz family would like to
extend their deepest sympathies to Nan and Tom, and to the
entire GA community. We have lost such a very special person! He
was the life and spirit of the soccer team, his passion and
talent inspirational to anyone who saw him play. He will live on
in our thoughts and our hearts.
Here are some pictures from the soccer team's party . . .
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I knew Cole since about 3rd grade. We
went to elementary school together and I can still see him
running around the soccer field at recess. Then I came to GA in
6th grade and at the end of my 3rd year there, a visitor walks
in with green Chuck Taylor's and long hair. I was excited to see
Cole at GA, a kid who I had known since we were little was going
to be joining me in high school, graduating 2009. I'm sorry we
can't spend senior year together bro. I'm sorry I didn't get to
know you better once you came to GA, but the times when we hung
out were real. Cole brought life to every party, every class,
every person he was around. He could make people laugh so
easily. One thing I admired about Cole was that he wasn't afraid
to say something. He wasn't afraid to stand up for himself. He
could pick fights standing at 5'6''. On the soccer field, it was
like nobody could touch him. I always said he would make a great
D-back on the football field, but soccer was his passion, and
there is no doubt that he excelled at it. I'm shocked that
something this horrible could happen to such a great kid with so
much potential. 17 years is not enough, not even close. But in
those 17 years Cole lived more than any of us. My thoughts and
prayers go out to Cole's family and close friends. We've lost an
awesome young man, but I guarantee he is living it up in Heaven.
Stay strong everyone. -- Pete Haines, GA '09 ---- Here are two essays Cole wrote; one for
a class at GA and one prior to admission . . .
Cole
Ballay
Ms. Honeycutt
Period: D
English IV
5/16/07
The
First Morning of The Rest of My Life
The Earth and
all of its wonders surround the human race in a surreal land of
marvel and wonder. One of the most emotionally captivating, and
majestic sensations man can have is the smell, sound, and sight
experienced on the first day of summer. Many times in this
overbearing modern world, priorities are shuffled and senses are
desensitized due to the lack of time to taken to appreciate
nature. The single most tantalizing and rejuvenating experience
my senses have encountered came on the first morning of the
summer going into my first year of high school. The emotional
frenzy which occurred on that summer morning gave me an eye
opening experience that presented a new outlook on life and the
world around me thus making me the optimistic person I am today.
My
eyelids felt glued shut. Sleep was the only thing on my mind. My
trance of inner peace was soon broken however. Like water expels
from a dam, my nostrils flooded with an odor, which corralled
itself into my nasal passage. The origin of the smell became
more evident to me, a partially propped open window to the left
of my disheveled bed. Trying hard not to open my eyes, I
sniffed, snuffled, and snarled until my nose was able to
diagnose the eclectic summer breeze. The honeysuckle plant
released a sweet and light odor, while the freshly cut grass
spread a pungent, yet tangy, and fresh scent. Sludge and
gasoline poured from the cars clanking by on Route 313, and
lifted into the diffusing air of my bedroom. The smell was
pungent, and lingered in my nasal cavity, on the tip of my
pallet.
My
ears buzzed with the sound of a million different sources, each
with a different pitch and tone. The birds sang in perfect
rhythm and meter, small lungs struggling to make their songs
heard. The crickets’ internal instruments echoed a sweet
chirping as their tunes resonated through my propped open
window. The man-made noises intruded on natures’ natural
symphony. The cars sputtered along the road in each way, their
engines churning out roaring acceleration, tightly wound gear
shifts, and squealing horns. The distant, distinct rustle of
lawn mowers vibrated the sound waves in a rough series of notes,
while the clamor of men’s laughter and the playful giggling of
children smoothed and sped the beat. All of the magnificence and
musical masterpiece of the outside world filtered through the
one partially open window of my room, and straight into my ears.
Inside my room the breeze whistled, the ruffled sheets were
lightly draped over my body, and the springs of my bed creaked
and moaned on the wooden frame.
As my senses became
more engulfed by nature, my body became awakened, and I rose
from my fleeting slumber. Driven to the opening in my window by
smell and sound, I looked to the right, and there at eye level
was a portal into a new world. Standing up with as much vigor as
a bull, I rushed to the opening. My head slid into the propped
open space, and a scene was painted before my eyes that I will
never forget. The grass seemed greener than ever before. The
evergreen trees looked stronger than oxen, and their pine
needles were crisp and firm. The garden was flowing with life.
The textured plants were as smooth as babies’ bottoms, and the
vivid flowers were in blues, reds, yellows, and oranges. The sky
was a soft blue, with no clouds in sight. The scene was so clear
that Heaven was almost visible. Kneeling there in shock and awe,
I came to realize that this was a milestone day for me. My
journey into adulthood had begun.
The
world was no longer a black and white picture, but a vibrant and
creative photograph. The emotional pandemonium which occurred on
that summer morning gave me an eye opening experience that
presented a new outlook on life and the world around me; thus
making me the optimistic person I am today. I came to the
realization that although life seems short and our lives at
times seem insignificant, taking time to appreciate the world
and all of its natural wonders makes you realize how big the
earth is, and how many opportunities for greatness will arise
throughout the course of life. If not for the smells, sounds,
and sights on that morning, I may not have reflected on my life
and realized the importance of optimism. A greater understanding
of life’s’ deeper events is only fully acquired by taking time
out and appreciating life’s smaller events. Carpe Diem!!!
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endif
FALL 2004, Application for
Germantown Academy, age 13
Cole T.
Ballay
A Glimpse into My Passion
“Soccer player”,
is how people usually label me. However, I am more than a
generalized label. I am a young man who is intensely devoted
and obsessed with the “beautiful game”. I can remember even as
a very young child the sensations of running with the ball at my
feet and the breeze whipping by my hair and ears. I am older
now and those exhilarating memories will hopefully remain with
me forever. With many soccer related experiences to come, I
will always be mindful of these earliest impressions, and
regardless of where soccer takes me in the future, they will
forever remain fresh sources of inspiration.
For me soccer is
more than a hobby or past time. It is an anti-drug; a way of
making new friends; a way of expanding my views and aspects of
life, and most importantly, it is the core of my being. When I
think about something that I feel passionate about, one word
comes to mind, soccer.
As I advance in
youth soccer, I appreciate the opportunities that I have had in
the past and those future ones, which I must seek and earn.
Being chosen for the Region 1, O.D.P. team, the Regional
Champions, the Delco Hammerheads, and the Super Y National Camp
have widened my horizons. While participating in the regional
tournaments and camps, my eyes have been opened to other walks
of like, other peoples, their differences from and similarities
to me. These events made me realize that others are just as
willing to do whatever it takes to be successful. I must
continue to work hard and take advantage of opportunities that
come my way to achieve my goals.
However, I must
also remind myself that soccer is more than diligence. It is a
sport, which I have always enjoyed. Like all games, it involves
skill and strategy. This is what makes a game fun. At present,
it still is. When I am out on the field, it is as though
everything else drifts away. Anger, confusion, frustration,
worry and all outside distractions become insignificant. The
exhilarating feelings of my youth resurface from memory to
present reality.
How could one
game consisting of a ball, 22 players, and a net, mean so much
to me? I have no answer to this question, but whatever, it is,
I will continue to do it until the end of my days. I am Cole
Ballay, a young man, and I love soccer!
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Author
Published
March 5, 2026
Updated
March 6, 2026