Paige Thomas has signed a Letter of Intend to study Nursing and play for Bobcats
By Jim Beers, Contributing Writer
CHESTER — Paige Thomas, a Chester High School senior and daughter of Brian Thomas and Sarah Chandler, has signed a National Letter of Intent to study Nursing and continue her volleyball career next fall at Frontier Community College in Fairfield, Illinois.
Her signing event took place Thursday December 1 at the Chester High School Professor James F. Sharp Cafeteria with a nice contingent of family members, fellow players, friends, CHS Faculty, Administration, and local media outlets in attendance to help her celebrate.
When asked about her decision to continue playing volleyball after high school Thomas said, “I have always wanted to play at the collegiate level someday. I dreamed of it as a little girl. Now that I have the opportunity I am very excited to take advantage of the offer to play at Frontier.”
“Playing at Frontier will be exciting. Volleyball is an escape for me from the everyday hassles of life. I love the energy, teamwork and fans while I am playing. Going to Frontier is going to provide me with a chance to meet new friends and experience life from a different perspective.”
Thomas said she had considered several other colleges, but after visiting Frontier just once she knew that Frontier Community College was the place for her!
There were several aspects of Frontier that appealed to her.
First of all was is the excellent nursing program. “My mom is a nurse and I have always had an interest in following in her footsteps. I have always had constant exposure to her experiences as a nurse and seemed to know that I would like that career.”
Paige also was attracted to the fact that she could continue to play volleyball there. “Coach Hnetkovsky is very nice and she has been most supportive in helping me make my decision. I have also always looked up to several collegiate players, some of which played at Frontier. Everyone has been so welcoming and I automatically knew that Frontier was the place for me!”
Frontier Community College is an Illinois Eastern Community College. It was established in 1976 and currently has approximately 600 students. Frontier offers 22 transfer Associate Degrees, 11 Career & Technical Degrees, as well as 20 Certificates in the format of In-Class, Dual Credit, Community, Work Force, and Adult Education.
Frontier is a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and has Division I teams in Baseball and Softball and Division II Volleyball. The school mascot is the Bobcat.
The goal of Frontier Community College athletics is excellence, an insistence that athletes are STUDENTS first, and that teams are well-coached, competitive, and representative of high standards and personal conduct.
In 2022-23, the Bobcat Volleyball Team had several players that are considered to be local including Chloe Yates of Pinckneyville, Kaylee Kerens of Murphysboro, Chloe Ladendecker of Sparta, and Maci Rackley of Coulterville.
Other towns represented on the squad include Fairfield, Benton, Shelbyville, Olney, Wadesville, Indiana and Centralia, Missouri. The Lady Bobcats are coached by Nixie Hnerkovsky, Head Coach, and Erica Bishop, Assistant Coach.
Last year Frontier Community College produced a record of 15-24 (.385). Of those games the Bobcats were 6-4 at home, 3-11 on the road, and 6-9 on a neutral court.
The Bobcats competed against Northwest Mississippi Community (CC), John Wood CC, Illinois Valley CC, Spoon River College, Itawamba CC, Southeastern CC, Kankakee CC, Independence CC, Lincoln Trail CC, Lincoln Land CC, Shawnee CC, Milliken University, Missouri Baptist College, Harper College, Rend Lake College, Glen Oaks CC, Illinois Central CC, Boyce College, St. Louis CC, Wabash CC, Heartland CC, Parkland College, Lewis & Clark CC, and Mississippi University for Women.
Paige Thomas has been a member of the Chester High School Lady Jackets Volleyball Team all four years. She played on the freshman and sophomore teams before being selected to move up to the Varsity Squad.
When asked if she had any special memories of her high school career, Thomas said, “My sophomore year I wasn’t on the Varsity Squad, but that was the year they won the Black Diamond Conference title. It was the last year that we competed in the BDC. I was close to most of those junior and senior girls and it was great being close to a winning team.”
Thomas said that the experience of being part of that Championship program motivated her and drove her to work harder and strive to do her best. Her last two seasons as a junior and senior Thomas made the Varsity squad and contributed to its successes.
During Paige’s junior year (2021) her team went 16-13 and this year as a senior (2022) the Lady Jackets were 15-14 for a combined record of 31-27. The Jackets finished 2nd in the Trico Tournament and won the Bronze bracket at the very competitive Freeburg Tournament.
CHS Head Coach, Colleen Runge said, “This season has definitely been a roller coaster of emotions. The girls have so much talent individually and as a team. We didn’t always put it together the way we could have, but when they came together, they were pretty much unstoppable.”
For her senior season Paige recorded 84 digs, 18 aces, 76 serves received, and 1 assist. She is looking forward to improving her game and helping the Bobcats have a successful season next year at Frontier Community College in Fairfield, Illinois.
Assistant Lady Jacket coach, Alyssa Keith said, “Paige is such a hard working player. We could always count on her to give 110% whether it was in practice or especially in games. You can tell she has so much passion for the sport of volleyball.”
“Her IQ for the game and the way she reads the ball has improved drastically! She was so much fun to watch on the court. I wish her the best in her future endeavors both in her education and her volleyball career.”
Thomas will graduate from Chester High School in May of 2023 after which she will trade in her YellowJacket uniform and garb for Bobcat attire!
Paige Thomas, Chester High School senior, signs a letter National Letter of Intent to study nursing and play volleyball at Frontier Community College in Fairfield, Illinios. With Thomas is her father, Brian Thomas, and mother Sarah Chandler. The signing event took place Thursday December 1 at the CHS Professor James F. Sharp Cafeteria. Jim Beers Photo
Paige Thomas, a Chester High School senior, signed a National Letter of Intent to play volleyball next year at Frontier Community College in Fairfield, Illinois. She will play for the Lady Bobcats and study Nursing. Shown here with Thomas is (Seated) Brian Thomas, Father, Paige Thomas, and Sarah Chandler, Mother. (Standing, left) Frontier Head Coach Nixie Hnerkovsky, and CHS Head Coach, Collen Runge and (Standing right) Kate and Kyle Drury, Paige’s travel team H2 South Coaches from Festus, Missouri. Jim Beers Photo
Paige Thomas, a Chester High School senior, sings a National Letter of Intent to play volleyball next year for the Lady Bobcats at Frontier Community College of the National Junior College (NJCAA) Athletic Association Division II. Thomas will study Nursing and play volleyball at Frontier at the 2-year institution after which she will transfer to a 4-year university to complete her studies. With Thomas at the signing Thursday December 1 are a large number of family, friends, teachers, staff, administration, local media and former, current and future coaches. Jim Beers Photo