Luke Thomas 2009-16
Offensive line, defensive line, linebacker

Luke Thomas grew up on the Christ Prep football field, playing eight years for the program. During that time, he acquired more than football skills. “I didn’t realize the life skills I picked up until I started my current job,” Thomas said. “I learned how important it is to be able work well with other people.”

At Christ Prep he said he encountered guys he probably wouldn’t have gravitated toward naturally. “But we played football together,” he said. “It taught me how to work with people I wouldn’t necessarily have been friends with otherwise.”

Thomas currently lives in Curitiba, Brazil where he teaches English at Central Bible College. He moved there a year and a half ago. “I didn’t know the language or anything about the culture when I got here,” he said. “It was difficult.” By sincerely applying himself, and through total immersion, he’s now fluent in Portuguese.

He looks back on his time at Christ Prep as formative to his character. “Sophomore year, I had some anger issues,” Thomas said. “I was ejected from three games.” Coach Cook told Thomas he either had to kick him off the team or send him to an anger management course. Thomas took the anger management course. He continued playing football for Christ Prep. More importantly, he said the course helped him become open to a healthier mind-set.

“I learned that concentrated rage is alright as long as you focus your anger into things that are helpful,” he said. According to Coach Cook, Thomas was one of the most aggressive players he’s ever coached. Coach Cook frequently pointed to Thomas as a model of healthy aggression.

It’s hard to say whether Thomas is remembered more for his aggression on the field or the elaborate pranks he pulled. When it came time to pay for the Florida trip, he always created hilarious plans. One of his favorites was the year he brought his payment in a suitcase. Inside the suitcase were 200 one-dollar bills, two plastic guns, a sandwich bag of flour, and a sandwich bag of dried grass clippings from his yard. Another year he showed up wearing a sombrero and a poncho and handed Coach Hurley 200 dollars’ worth of Mexican pesos.

His advice to the 2019 Patriots would be to relax and enjoy your time on the team. “Make friends and have fun,” Thomas said. “But don’t worry about it ending too soon. There is life after football.” He’s living proof.

Thomas said he plans to move back to the US in early 2020. Between high school and moving to Brazil he completed a year of nursing courses. When returns to the states, he plans to finish his degree.

Jim Spena, 2000-03
Quarterback, Linebacker

The lessons learned on the football field can certainly transfer into everyday life. That’s true for those who don’t play very often and especially true for former Patriot star, Jim Spena.

Spena played from 2000-2003 winning national championships in 2001 and 2003. Over those four seasons, he played quarterback, running back, linebacker, kicker and kick returner.

While the 2 national championship runs in 01 and 03 certainly left him with many great memories, the comeback against St. Joseph in 2002 stands out above the others. A close second? ‘Mustering the courage to go talk to my future wife (she was one of our cheerleaders) following our state championship in 2001.’  After graduation from high school, Spena went on to play at Missouri Southern State University.

Even though Jim and Courtney have 3 kids and a home in Southern Missouri, he still draws on lessons he learned while playing for the Patriots. ‘I learned how important it is to take responsibility, or better yet, not let the blame fall on someone else,’ he said. After losing the first 2 games of the 2003 season, Spena explained that the head coach took time to explain a few things about what it meant to be part of a team. ‘I had a key interception in the first game and turned the wrong way on a hand-off at a crucial moment in the second game.  Overall I had played well, but I could do better, and I could be a man and take responsibility for what was happening.  That was a football lesson, but it recurs constantly in life,’ Spena explained.’

‘Something goes wrong at work, something breaks at home, someone doesn't do what they were supposed to do - don't worry about finding someone to blame.  Admit to how you contributed to the problem and then get down to what really matters: fixing it.’

Grant Collison, 2008-12
Offensive Line, Defensive Line

Grant Collison played for the patriots from 2008 until his graduation in 2012. Primarily a lineman, Grant played both offense and defensive lines during his time with the team.

After graduating from Christ Prep, Grant went onto K-State where he studied mechanical engineering. He is currently serving in the Air Force as a 2nd Lieutenant and in-flight school in Pensacola, Florida.

When asked what advice he would give the current team, he stressed the importance of making the most out of the time on the field. ‘The biggest advice I would have for the team is to give 100% in everything you do, because you only have a few short years to play football but the memories and lessons last for the rest of your life.’

The lessons he learned on the football field have certainly transferred to his post football life, he explained. ‘Something that football helped me learn was how the effort and discipline I put into my position affected the people around me and the team as a whole,’ Grant said. ‘Experiencing that made me a lot more diligent in my other responsibilities.’

While there are a lot of positive memories from his time as a Patriot, there are certainly those that stand out more than others. ‘My favorite football memory was senior day of my junior year,’ Grant said, ‘My friend Austin White, who was a senior, started in my normal position on defense and on the first drive of the game he caught a loose ball from a fumble and ran it all the way back for a touchdown.’