Juggling a busy school schedule with a sport can be a challenge for any high school student. For Cole Rainwater (10), however, balancing his schedule with two sports is an everyday task.

The average professional football player weighs 250 pounds, while the average soccer player weighs about 100 pounds less. It seems apparent that it is hard to find an athlete that can play both, but Rainwater is that exception. Playing varsity football and varsity soccer has created a very tough high school life for Rainwater, which has resulted in a lack of sleep and a lot of extra work before school.

“I stay up late almost every night doing homework, and I go to morning tutoring to get everything cleared up,” Rainwater said.

Many coaches in the area used to not allow their soccer players to play for the football team, but their opinions have changed. With no one to kick for the freshman football team Rainwater’s freshman year, Head Coach Jeffrey Sherman, Mathematics, came to the head coach of the varsity soccer team, Jereme Rainwater, Vocational, in hopes of persuading him to let Cole Rainwater play kicker.

“[Letting my soccer players play football] is something I’m getting used to. You evolve as a coach or a person throughout life. When I first started, I was 100 percent against it. Up until last year, I have never really allowed it, but seeing [Cole Rainwater] come home as excited as he was has changed my opinion on allowing kids to do it,” Coach Rainwater said.

Football is a very physical sport. Even kickers must be prepared to make a play when their number is called. Cole Rainwater has put effort in to be ready when the time comes to play, and he does not shy away from the opportunity.

“I would probably go crazy [if I got to make a play]. I would be very happy to do it,” Cole Rainwater said.

When it comes to his coach and father, there is an understanding of what could happen on the football field at any time. His soccer career does not give him an excuse to shy away from the opportunity of playing football.

“The kids that are working to be football players here at the school work their butts off. Just as hard as Cole [Rainwater] works at soccer, they work at football. If it requires that he has to make a tackle or a play, we understand that’s risking injury, but every time you’re an athlete and you step onto the field, you’re risking injury. He risks injuries while he’s at practice, [and] he knows he may have to step up,” Coach Rainwater said.