At 11 years old, Cole Phillips and Aldair Cortes first crossed paths as members of the Birmingham United SA 99B East Soccer Club (formerly known as the SSA Chelsea 99B Elite). They would connect, as most teammates often do; but something about their connection was special. And this special bond would eventually lead to what is sure to be a lifelong friendship.
“Aldair eventually moved from Pelham to Cairo to live with us,” Brett Phillips, Cole’s father, said. “He was missing out athletically and socially because he would only be able to come our games. Because of the travel, we rarely saw him in between. No practices or anything like that; just games.”
Once the two were united in the same household, their friendship would take off. They were able to get to know one another on a personal level, and their bond would manifest itself on the pitch. Now at the end of their junior year at Cairo High School, their teamwork has given the school quite the list of achievements and memories. The Syrupmakers have been undefeated in region play on the pitch during the entire tenure of these two (27-0), securing region titles in each of those three seasons.
But while their success was evident on the soccer field, this would be far from the ceiling of their potential; their similarities would carry over onto another green pasture; during their freshman year of high school, both young men would begin to practice their kicking on the gridiron in anticipation of joining the Syrupmakers’ football team. They were trained in the art, but neither would see time during ninth grade. During their sophomore year, however, both of them would finally take the field. Cortes would take over as the starter (according to Mr. Phillips, his leg was the stronger of the two), while Phillips would faithfully step in when needed. As it turned out, his number would be called in quite remarkable circumstances.
“I remember the Worth County game of their sophomore year,” Mr. Phillips said. “Aldair was out sick, and the team needed Cole to step in and handle business. The funny thing about it; they grabbed Cole the morning of the game to give him the news. So he gets himself ready, and when game time rolls around, he was so impressive. Two fourth-quarter field goals, nine total points. We won the region title, 27-20, that night on the power of Cole’s leg.”
While the bond shared between the two young men is undeniably unbreakable, it will be tested by distance in the near future. Cortes will be relocating to Kennesaw for his senior year; he will begin playing for the Atlanta United U18 Development Academy. The reasoning for this is that, given his incredible talent, he will hopefully be able to convert his amateur year of competition into a professional deal with the United after graduating. However; even if that plan doesn’t work out, he has also already committed to The Ohio State University on a full soccer scholarship.
Phillips, on the other hand, is also developing quite the following on the gridiron. As a kicker, his success has already garnered interest from major Division I colleges, including Alabama, Auburn, South Carolina, Jacksonville State, Georgia Southern, and Western Kentucky. And with a year remaining of prep competition on both the gridiron and the pitch, more interest is sure to come.
Regardless of where the future may take these two, one thing is for sure: family is everything. And given the love, respect, and admiration that Cole Phillips and Aldair Cortes share for one another, “family” is a more than adequate label for these two outstanding young men.
In the Game / June 2016
Aldair Cortes and Cole Phillips
Cairo High School
Cairo, Georgia
A Bond Stronger than Family
Written by James A. Washington
