1 of 4
Sam Chandler
Cole Stidfole
Cold Stidfole celebrates his Gatorade Alabama Boys Runner of the Year award with his father, Andy Stidfole, and mother, Jodi Stidfole.
2 of 4
Sam Chandler
Cole Stidfole
Oak Mountain's Cole Stidfole wins the Gatorade Runner of the Year Award.
3 of 4
Sam Chandler
Cole Stidfole
Oak Mountain's Cole Stidfole wins the Gatorade Runner of the Year Award.
4 of 4
Sam Chandler
Cole Stidfole
Oak Mountain's Cole Stidfole wins the Gatorade Runner of the Year Award.
When Cole Stidfole launched his running career in the seventh grade, he told his dad he wanted to do well.
“He said, ‘I want to be the best,’” Andy Stidfole, Cole’s father, said.
Now, only four years later, the speedy Oak Mountain High School junior merits that distinction.
At a formal ceremony in his school’s cafeteria Monday afternoon, Cole was officially honored as the 2015-2016 Gatorade Alabama Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year.
“It just means that all my hard work and early mornings and early nights have finally been shown,” Cole said.
Before an audience of teammates, classmates, coaches and parents, Cole was presented the award by Kyle Burger, a sports reporter for WVTM 13.
The recognition, given to a male and female athlete in each state, caps a sensational junior cross-country campaign for the distance standout.
Over the course of the fall, Cole cruised to five individual victories while recording the fastest 5,000-meter time in the state. His blistering mark of 15 minutes, 20.45 seconds at the Jesse Owens Classic on Oct. 3 proved untouchable for any other Alabama prep runner.
After clinching the Class 7A, Section 3 title on Nov. 5, he battled to a runner-up finish at the 7A state meet (15:32.48) before ending his season at the Foot Locker South Regional. Matched against waves of the most elite runners in the region, he posted a time of 15:53.00 to seal a 31st-place finish.
“It’s just my passion,” Cole said. “I love running, and I love winning and running fast and setting down good times. It’s really what drives me.”
In addition to his prolific athletic achievements, Cole met a broader set of criteria to be considered for the award. According to a Gatorade press release, he has maintained a 3.57 weighted GPA, annually attended a faith-based FC Alabama Camp and donated time to his church’s youth group.
Citing the various sacrifices required to excel at such an elite level, namely social life, nutrition and sleeping habits, Cole’s family said his success results from his persistent dedication.
“We’re always so proud of him,” his mother, Jodi Stidfole, said. “He’s a hard worker, he does it on his own, he knows what he has to do, he eats right, he sleeps right, and it pays off.”
With one more year of high school cross-country remaining, Cole said he will be shooting to reclaim the accolade again next year.
“I’ll have to work towards that,” he said. “There will be a bunch of other people that are probably going to be in the running; I’m just going to have to work harder than they are.”
