Thurman receives full ride to Brewton-Parker
Thurman
Hard work. It’s something that Chuckie Thurman knows plenty about and it’s something he’s built his reputation on, both on and off the mat.
And this past Wednesday afternoon, the former Heritage High School wrestler got to reap the rewards of all that hard work as he signed scholarship papers to attend and wrestle for BrewtonParker College in Mount Vernon, Ga.
But Thurman didn’t sign just any scholarship. He signed one to receive a full ride.
“This is what I’ve been working for my whole life,” he said. “Growing up, we didn’t have a lot of money, so I knew the only way I was getting into college was through a scholarship. I’m thankful that Brewton-Parker would do this for me. I got my acceptance letter about three weeks ago and I’m really excited about it.”
Thurman worked throughout the summer to get the necessary college test scores to make his dream a reality.
“I’m proud of him,” said Heritage wrestling coach Mike Craft. “Two things that helped him be successful is persistence and hard work and those things are also what got him his scholarship. It took a while for him to find the right fit, but he kept working over the summer and now he’s getting ready to leave. Hopefully he’ll be able to take everything that’s made him successful with him to the next level.”
Not only has Thurman worked hard in the classroom, he’s worked hard on the wrestling mat.
Starting in the sport about 10 years ago, he quickly gained a reputation as one of the top wrestlers in the area and he honed his craft on the local, state and national level.
It paid off with three Georgia high school state championships - Thurman was state runner-up as a freshman, losing in overtime - including a 62-1 mark in his senior year in which he won all four matches by pin in dominating fashion.
sure knows about him, as do opposing defenses in the AAC. Flowers threw for 2,812 yards and 24 TD’s last year and rushed for 1,530 yards and 18 more scores.
21. Virginia Tech
- Second-year head coach Justin Fuente is building a defense in the Frank Beamer mode with standouts at linebacker and in the secondary. However, major retooling much be done to replace several key offensive stars from last year.
20. West Virginia
- Remember former Florida quarterback Will Grier? He’s now in pass-happy Morgantown where the Mountaineers always have plenty at the skill positions. The defense, as usual, has big question marks, but if Grier plays to his potential, West Virginia can score on anyone.
- Mark Richt is quickly and quietly rebuilding the football program at The U and could have the Canes in line for a chance at their first ACC championship. Keep an eye on the
19. Miami, Fla.
young Canes, especially freshman quarterback N’Kosi Perry.
18. Wisconsin
- The Badgers were higher in my poll until their leading tackler from last season, linebacker Jack Cichy, was lost for the season with a recent ACL injury. Quarterback Alex Hornibrook is back, but a replacement will have to be found for tailback Corey Clement.
- Malik Zaire or Felipe Franks? The Notre Dame transfer (Zaire) already has the pedigree, but Franks looks like the quarterback of the future. Both could (and should) play early until a starter emerges. A season-opener versus Michigan at JerryWorld is intriguing.
17. Florida 16. Stanford
- The Cardinal will be sound defensively if nothing else, but there are questions at quarterback and can Bryce Love be the next Christian McCaffery? It seems like a tall order, but sleep on head coach David Shaw at your own risk.
Next week, the Top 15 teams in the land.
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In addition, Thurman put his name in the record books with 575 total takedowns as a senior, which is a new national single-season high school mark. He helped the Generals to a fourth-place team finish at the Class AAAA state tournament.
Craft said Thurman’s experience and hardnosed style will give him an edge on the college level.
“He’s had the experience of working through injuries and wrestling in high-level national tournaments all around the country,” the coach added. “He also knows how to cut weight and maintain it because he’s done it for years and stayed strong.
“I’m excited for him. He’s got a lot of opportunity (at BrewtonParker). It’s a big roster with nearly 60 kids, but I’m sure he’s going to come right in and make an immediate impact.”
Thurman, who will likely wrestle at 133 pounds for the Barons, said he wants to bring “a few national titles” to the BPC program.
“A lot of people say (wrestling) is just a lot more physical in college with a lot more hand fighting and things like that,” Thurman added. “But takedowns and hand fighting are some of the things my coaches have been big on over the years, so I feel like I’ll do fairly well my first few years there.”
Thurman said he wants to study middle school and elementary school education.