Coupeville Sports

Cole Payne, a man for all seasons.

If there’s a birthday cake, no one let him near the knife.

Coupeville High School junior Cole Payne is a pro at everything he does — football, baseball, being a freakin’ American hero — but he’s also pretty skilled at hurting himself.

Frequent injuries have been the only thing slowing down his rise to being a full-fledged star.

In fact, his latest surgery, which came just days before his birthday, will knock him out for the complete football season. That’s a huge blow to the Wolves.

When he was healthy last year, Payne was a heat-seeking missile on the gridiron.

If you had the ball and tried to run away from him, you usually ended up planted face-first in the turf, wondering how that freight train that just hit you managed to get on the field.

Cole was equally potent on the offensive side of the ball, both as a receiver and a runner.

But, while football coach Tony Maggio may (secretly) shed tears over the loss of Payne, there is a silver lining.

Having surgery on his bum shoulder at this point of the year should give him plenty of time to get back to full health by baseball season.

And it is as a boy of summer that Payne, like older brother Morgan, really shines.

Whether as a pitcher or, more often these days, as a catcher, he’s a sweet-swingin’, fleet-footed two-way terror, capable of turning the tide in favor of his squad on both offense and defense.

With five key seniors, including Morgan, having graduated, Cole should move into a leadership position and be at the forefront of Wolf baseball the next two seasons.

That is how we want to see him, on the field, kickin’ fanny and takin’ names, not on the sideline, arm in a sling.

I’m not saying he can’t be entertaining as he works those sidelines, but we want more Payne and less pain.

So happy birthday, Cole, and here’s to a bright future. May it include as few doctors as possible.