The
official website for Hannah Thurley
Class of 2010!
A
Letter From Brian Epps, Ensworth High School:
Reflecting
on Hannah, a few thoughts come quickly to
mind: Character, Integrity, and Competitiveness.
Hannah's honorable character is fueled by
a strong desire to achieve success - to
win the contest. While most coaches know
that "everyone wants to win, but not everyone
is willing to prepare to win", I can say
that Hannah fits the mold of those that
are willing to prepare to win. She understands
the "whys" of hard work, and her willingness
is evident in the way she works in the pursuit
of her endeavors.
I coached Hannah
through her freshman and sophomore years.
Additionally, I coached her through the
summer. While engaging in the strength and
conditioning program during the school term
was required, participating in the summer
speed and strength program was optional.
I can say with absolute honesty that she
was the most dedicated female athlete in
the summer program. She showed up early
and stayed late. One joy of coaching Hannah
is that I did not have to motivate her,
for her zeal for success is inherently part
of her nature. I simply could teach her,
as I knew her effort was never in question.
Hannah sets high goals, and works her guts
out to achieve them. While I coached Hannah
at Ensworth, she ranked in the top 5% in
all the human performance measures assessed:
power, strength, speed, flexibility, quickness,
and endurance. Hannah's fiery competitiveness
on the field is a product of the intensity
in which she prepares.
While Hannah's
work ethic is easily witnessed, and her
on the field performance speaks for itself,
Hannah's demeanor, the way in which she
carries herself, is her greatest quality.
She has a lively personality, infused with
joy, humor, and respect. She is careful
in her decision-making, and she is great
with kids. I know because she has given
great care to my own two children. My opportunity
to coach Hannah was greatly enjoyed and
is now greatly missed. My role now is to
encourage her from the outside; but she
does not need that, for that inner fire
continues to burn passionately. I give Hannah
my strongest recommendation. She will achieve
on and off the field, and her character
will impact her teammates positively.
Brian Epps,
CSCS, NSCA-CPT
Strength & Conditioning Coach
Ensworth High School
School Information
Christ Presbyterian
Academy
2323 Old Hickory Blvd.
Nashville, TN. 37215
615-373-9550/ fax 615-370-0884
Head Master : Richard Anderson
Principal: Nate Morrow
Athletic Director: Mike Ellson
Academic Advisor : Stephen Owens
Guidance Counselor : Daniel Moore
College Planning: Kathy White
Leadership positions
a. 2009/2010 Team Captain CPA Lady Lions Basketball
b. 2009/2010 President, CPA Fellowship of Christian Athletes
c. 2009 Team Captain AAU Tennessee Lady Tigers
Awards
08-09 District 9-AA All District
Team
08-09 Region 5-AA All Region Team
TSSAA Distinguished Scholastic Achievement Award 2009
MVP Fellowship of Christian Athlete Team Camp
MVP Vanderbilt Team Camp
MVP Florida Gulf Coast University Ind. Camp
09-10 10AA All District Tournament MVP
09-10 State Tournament All star
2010 TSSAA Distinguished Scholastic Achievement Award
At the beginning of this summer I had to make a hard decision, did I want to continue on my path with softball and try to go to college playing that and just play basketball for my school team or did I want to play aau basketball in order to play in college. I finally decided that I was going to follow my life long dream of playing basketball in college. I realized that day that since I had chosen basketball I was going to have to put in a lot of time and effort making my game better everyday. I do not have a job this summer because my job is basketball. I spend anywhere from 4 to 8 hours in the gym every day, I work on my ball handling for hours, make 100 threes, work out in a weight room, and I am also doing one on one workouts with my coaches. On top of that I have my AAU practices through out the weeks. I am working extremely hard because this is my goal and I am a very driven person and I won't stop until I reach this dream, and no one said it
was going to be easy!
College
Course Study
I am now a senior in high school and am still undecided on what I want to do for my life career. I know that I have always loved working with others, and I love sports medicine, I have broken my finger and my ankle, and when we went to the doctors office I would love to watch what they do, and when I get shots, it does not bother me at all, so I think that that is my calling in life. I would love to also be an athletic trainer. I love sports and have been around sports my whole life, and weather I am working with others to achieve their dream, or if I am coaching a team, or if I am working in a doctor’s office putting people’s bones back into place, all I want to do is be involved with the thing that I love, sports. I also would love to be a coach one day when I get older, through the years I have had teammates come up to me and tell me that I should be a coach, and I really would love to pursue that dream as well.
Softball
I have been playing softball since I was
five years old starting off playing t-ball
at the local ball park. I then played
every year after that, knowing that I
had a deep passion for the game. Every
practice and every game I knew that that
is where I belonged. I was also playing
basketball, volleyball, and running track.
I loved all the sports, and had a hard
time choosing which one I wanted to give
up, so that I could focus on only one
or two sports. About two years ago I decided
that my real passion was with softball,
I got asked to play on a travel ball team
and absolutely loved it. I still am playing
travel ball today, and still figuring
out how to balance that with my basketball
schedule. This past summer I played travel
softball and AAU basketball, but I would
not have had it any other way, I love
playing and I love always being on the
go.
Basketball
I also started playing basketball when
I was about five years old, I played for
the rec ball team that practiced at a
local middle school that was close to
my house. I was always the tall girl,
so everyone wanted me on their team. I
have been to five different schools since
I was in kindergarten, so it has been
hard going from coach to coach to coach,
most of the coaches I have played for
have been great and made me the player
that I am today, but some have been discouragers.
When I was a freshman in high school,
I played on a team that was really good,
and we had all upper classman playing,
and the freshman sat the bench, the coach
really did not pay any attention to us,
and I think this got my courage and belief
in my self down. I left that school half
way through my sophomore year to attend
the school I am currently at, Christ Presbyterian
Academy. Here I had two coaches who believed
in me and motivated me to do my hardest,
they encouraged me to play AAU this past
summer, and I ended up having one of my
best seasons. I just started my junior
year basketball season, and it is off
to a great start, I always give it 100%
and I know I am improving everyday, I
have always loved the game of basketball
and I always will.
Church
I currently attend Christ Presbyterian
Church. I go to Sunday school after church
every Sunday, and I am a devotional group
leader. I meet with about 15 freshman
girls every Wednesday night. They are
normal teenage girls, who have every day
drama in their life, and I am basically
someone they can come to if they ever
need any advice or just want to talk to
someone. I love being a d-group leader,
because I love giving advice. I have been
though many obstacles in my life, one
major obstacle was changing schools half
way through my sophomore year of high
school, but I use that obstacle to help
other girls who may be going through the
same thing I have or maybe they can not
find God in their life and I try to lead
them to the path. Our school motto is
Soli Deo Gloria which means to God alone
be the glory. In everything we do whether
in sports or in academics we should do
it all in the name of the Lord, because
with out him we would not even be able
to play on the court and field, or be
able to make an A on our math test. Do
it all for him.
"For I know the plans I have for
you," declares the LORD, “plans
to prosper you and not to harm you, plans
to give you hope and future.” Jeremiah
29: 11
Favorite
Things
Other than playing softball and basketball,
one of my favorite things to do in the
world is go to the beach. I love going
and laying there when it is really hot
and I am listening to music and get to
fall asleep on the beach. But, I can not
always go to the beach because it is so
far away, so I love to go to the movies.
Whether I go with my family or friends
I love it, my favorite movies are comedies,
because I love to laugh and share the
laughs with my close friends and family.
Another thing I like to do is go to football
games, I never miss a Friday night football
game that my team is playing, and I also
go to NFL games with my family, and they
are so fun! So basically I love doing
anything that involves my close family
and friends!
Role Models
I have had many role models in my life,
whether it be a professional basketball
player, softball player, or even a coach,
but I believe that my biggest role models
for me have been my parents. My mom has
taught me everything I know about softball
and my dad has taught me everything I
know about how to succeed. No matter how
good or bad I play I know they will always
be there for me and love me. They know
how love has to be tough sometimes but
they know when love has to be gentle too.
They have had to make many difficult decisions
with me, and almost all of them are the
best decisions we have ever made. I go
to them if I ever need any advice, in
sports or even in just ever day life,
and I know they will always have an answer.
I love them both and am so glad that I
have them in my life.
"
What Motivates Me"
When I am getting ready for a game the
night before I think about what I am going
to focus on in that game, what I really
need to strive to do better than what
I did last game. I will watch film of
my last game and find what I need to improve
better, and then I will watch some film
on the opponent to see what I have to
be ready for. Game day comes and I am
ready, the minute I step out on the court
or field I am ready. I would say one of
the things that push me the most and motivate
me more than anything is when I am in
a game, and do not do something right
or need to improve, or even if I did something
great and my coach yells at me. This pumps
me up because I know my coach is serious
and I know that I have to go out there
and do it for the sake of the team. It’s
hard to describe the feeling I get when
a coach does yell at me, its not sad or
mad at all, it’s just a feeling
deep inside of me that I want to go out
there and just give it my all and never
quit, so in the end I can experience the
amazing feeling of a victory that I truly
worked hard for. I will never give up,
I will not allow any thing or any one
stand in my way of achieving my goal even
if we are up by so much and our opponent
has no chance of coming back I am still
playing my hardest and smartest ball.
I live for competition. Any time someone
challenges me to do something I will give
it my all, even if it is simply a race
with my brother.
