CHA Senior Curtis Thomas Signs Letter of Intent with Geneva College Men’s Volleyball
On May 13, 2019, Senior Curtis Thomas signed a Letter of Intent to play men’s volleyball at Geneva College, an NCAA Division III institution in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. At the signing, Curtis found himself just the way he likes to remember his 10 years at CHA, surrounded by loving parents, friends, coach and administrators, namely, Mr. Cook, Athletic Director, Dr. Hertzberg, President of CHA, Mr. Tim Dinkelman, volunteer coach and VP of Finance and Operations, and friends.
Curtis has been a four-year varsity starter and also served as a team captain during his senior year. Mr. Cook stated, “His commitment to the game is unparalleled, which has impacted the opportunity that he has to play at the next level. He is a mentor to the younger players and he leads by example. He will be a great asset to Geneva’s program.”
Scouted by Geneva College during a tournament, Curtis stated that he had three important criteria in the college selection process: “it had to be Christian, it had to be strong in my major (computer science), and it had to have volleyball.” He visited the school and his experience with the Christian community at the campus was what ultimately led Curtis to choose Geneva College. Curtis is the fourth Christian Heritage Academy student to sign to play for a college team, following his peer Emily Naubert (Samford University), alumnus Josh Dinkelman ’17 (Concordia University volleyball), and alumna Kayla McCoy ‘15 (Duke University), and hopes to be a “bridge to encourage more CHA students to pursue college athletics”.
Curtis attributed much of his college preparation to his teachers, saying, “CHA takes academics seriously, and the teachers have come behind and supported me, and really helped me, whether I’m struggling in classes or I just needed someone to talk to. They prepared me to go further in what I’m really interested in (for my major), which is computer science. My teachers and coach helped me to become a man of God… to learn who I am and what I have to offer to the world.”
There is no mistaking that Curtis has had strong support from his school and also his parents. Curtis’ father, Stephen Thomas, remarked with gratitude, “I’m not surprised by where he is today. I’m marveling at how He has grown as a person, a friend and a confidante. It’s a testament to CHA that they include an atmosphere of love and grace even when you make a mistake. CHA is a testament of the fact that you can grow athletics here, and you can grow people here. God has big things in store for him.”
His mother Keisha Thomas captured the heart of our school and the heart of the Thomas family in this statement: “I remind him, ‘Every time you touch the ball, every time you lift up your hands to play, lift up the Lord and shine for Him.’”
On and off the court, Curtis is known for his outgoing personality, servant leadership and care for others. We have been blessed to witness his growth as an athlete, student, and ambassador for Christ. Congratulations to Curtis and the Thomas family!
In the news:
Read The Winnetka Current article here.