Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

An Orange man is a step closer to obtaining his dreams as he was sworn in as an attorney last week.

Giles Cole, of Orange, graduated from West Orange Stark High School before heading off to college. He was on the field at A&M Kingsville when he was drafted in 2000 to play for the Minnesota Vikings.

He was eventually released from professional football and returned to his hometown of Orange.

“My family opened Fire Palms Car Wash by HEB,” Coles said.

While working at the car wash, his mentor Mikey McNamera, spoke to Cole about attending law school.

“I went to a Rotary meeting with him and the seed was planted,” Cole said.

In 2005, after speaking with McNamera and his parents, Cole began the journey to become an attorney.

The path was not as smooth as one would hope and he discovered obstacles from the beginning.

“I did not have an undergraduate degree,” Cole said. “I was in college as an athlete and so my grades were not what they should have been and then the credits did not transfer from there to Lamar University.”

As discouraging as the news could have been, Cole embraced it and moved forward.

“Dr. Love, my criminal law professor at LU, suggested I become a lawyer as well,” Cole said.

Then another tough decision had to be made – the family business. In 2010, the car wash was closed.

From then, Cole did what he had to in order to continue moving forward including driving an 18-wheeler.

“I had the support from my parents, especially my mom.” Cole added.

Becoming a lawyer was just one part of the dream. The second part is to become a Sports Agent.

“In 2009, I contacted the NFL about becoming a sports agent and discovered they required a Masters Degree,” Cole said. “Well, if I was going to get my Masters, I decided to become an attorney.”

He added he wanted to prove one could make the transformation from field to agent.

“I embraced the right to be a nerd,” Cole said with a smile. “I do want to be a representative model. I want to plant a seed I the youth and be an example for them.”

He said the support and advice he was given from people such as Steve Howard, Wilma Horner, Jackie Mayfield and John Kimbrough has been beneficial for him and he wants to be able to pay it forward to the next generation.

“I love the law. I love reading and learning,” Cole said. “I really want to set an example for the youth in our community.”

Cole plans to open his office in two weeks.