TOULON, Ill. (WMBD/WYZZ) — Stark County’s Cole Kinsella knows the meaning of hard work.
The linebacker and center worked hard enough as a sophomore last fall to be including on the playoff roster for the Rebels’ first postseason game since 2017.
“I always wanted to play varsity,” said Kinsella. “Then play in the playoffs after Stark County hadn’t been in their in a little bit. All the adrenaline coming through. Makes it feel good to be out there.”
The junior is not only a valuable member of Stark County’s 5-0 football team but he’s also the treasurer of the school’s Future Farmers of America association and a 4-H club member. His family raises cattle and he shows cows.
“It’s fun, it’s competitive. You’ve worked on that animal all year long,” Kinsella said. “You put in a lot of dedication. Late nights in the barn, early morning to feed him.”
Kinsella says he wants to pursue a career in agriculture. He’d like to raise livestock and he knows that takes hard work.
“We didn’t have school a couple Friday’s ago. We had a walk-through (the morning of a game),” said Rebels football coach Jade Noard. “He’s adjusting his schedule so he can make walk-through but still take care of his cattle in the morning. A lot of kids are trying to sleep in but he’s on his schedule to get everything done.”
The start of the football season is a very busy time for him. As school begins in August, Kinsella is showing his livestock at the state fair. This year he had to juggled his schedule between practice and the fair, which is in Springfield.
He not only juggles the schedule masterfully, he was rewarded for it by winning grand champion in the cow-calf pair division.
He says that win is a lot like winning football games.
“You’ve got to work (a cow), feed it, take care of that animal. Everything just has to be perfect,” Kinsella said. “Just like on the football field.”
