Special to the Reporter

For 10 years now, Ron Cole or “Coach” as he is known by many, has been spreading joy and inspiration to residents at Emerald Heights in Redmond. Not only is he a life coach, he is also a fitness instructor for various classes such as strength training and balance. His experience in fitness dates back to when he was just a young child.

Coach started wrestling as a hobby when he was young, but it turned competitive as he grew older — most of his achievements were won after the age of 50. He won the world championship a couple of times, with the first being in Turkey, and was the national wrestling champion 10 times for the United States. He traveled all over the world competing up until the age of 63. His favorite places to compete in were Switzerland and Russia.

Now who says wrestlers can’t have a soft, artsy side? Coach breaks the mold of a typical wrestler with his abstract artistry.

“I’m basically a Jackson Pollock,” he laughs. He explains that similar to Pollock, he creates big abstract canvases with lots of color, usually 18-25 colors in each. “The idea is to trigger the brain to release endorphins — it’s just a magical thing,” Coach shares when discussing why he uses so many different colors. Some of his artwork was displayed in the Emerald Heights gallery.

In addition to Coach giving of his time and artwork, he is giving of love and kindness. Each morning before heading into work, Coach stops in the Corwin Center to visit the residents and let them know he cares and that they have a friend in him.

“My life is all about giving – that’s what it’s all about. Years ago, my son got sick and I made a promise that if he got better and lived, I would dedicate my life to giving back. Well, he’s still living so I’m still giving,” he said.