If you've been to an LSU game lately, you've probably seen Cole Zachary in his tiger costume and Tiger With Autism shirt. Cole, a lifelong resident of Zachary and ZHS graduate is an LSU super fan. 

"I actually created a special T-shirt that says “Tiger with Autism” that I wear to LSU Football! Other than football, I also enjoy supporting baseball, softball, and some gymnastics. I’m also a popular fan for the Baton Rouge Zydeco hockey team! I also ended up winning free Canes for a year after doing the Caniac Maniac this past football season!"

We're pretty jealous of the free Canes for a year, but maybe more jealous of all the student-athletes that Cole has met. Who wouldn't be excited to meet THE Olivia Dunne? 

Cole's autism awareness activism comes naturally to him. Although he was diagnosed as a young child, he didn't really fully understand what it meant to be autistic until high school when he realized why he found some things, like socializing, to be so difficult. Those difficulties didn't stop him from engaging fully in the high school experience though.

Cole was in the Bronco Band and soon impressed his classmates and teachers with his perfect pitch, something he believes springs from his autism. "...They eventually got to know one of my secret talents, which is I have perfect pitch. It’s where someone plays a note and I can name it on the spot. My super fan story began when I would play with the band on game days. There I became the rowdiest person in the band, whenever we played a tune when the game is going on, I would always get everyone hyped up. And we would win nearly every game each season. And one of my favorite things about being in band was I got to march on the field of the Superdome for the first 3 state championship wins! When senior year hit, I was officially a Zachary super fan when I got the senior superlative for “Most School Spirit.” After that my senior got cut short because of COVID. So I graduated from Zachary High School with the Class of 2020. " 

When he's not cheering on his favorite sports teams, you'll find Cole at Lit Pizza, where he's worked for 3 years. He loves crafting his own special pizzas and also knowing the pizza orders of different regulars. The Bronco Baseball team tends to all order a special take on the Buffalo Pizza which he's taken to calling the "Bronco Baseball Pizza." Cole's about to transfer to the Burbank Lit location though, so make sure to drop in and say hello now while he's still slinging pizza in Zachary!

Although Cole seems like the life of the party, he has also known personal tragedy. His mother passed away after a short battle with Breast Cancer. ZHS showed up bigtime for the family during this tragedy and Cole and his sister, Lucy, served as honorary flag runners at a Broncos football game this past season. It was a meaningful night for Cole since it recognized his mother in a way that also recognized his place as a super fan. 

Cole's big goal now is to be a witness to the 2028 Olympics in LA. Something tells me he'll make it there...maybe even in his Tiger With Autism costume!