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AIF Lehigh Valley Steelhawks

Steelhawks Head Coach to be Inducted into Hall of Fame

March 31, 2016 - American Indoor Football (AIF)
Lehigh Valley Steelhawks News Release


Allentown, PA: The Lehigh Valley Steelhawks are pleased to announce that their Head Coach, Chris Thompson will be inducted into his high school, Manheim Central (Lancaster, PA), Hall of Fame this weekend. Thompson coaching his fifth Steelhawks season now, has led the Steelhawks to a playoff appearance the last four years.

The purpose of the Manheim Central Hall of Fame is to honor distinguished alumni of their school. The individuals inducted have brought distinction and pride to the school and community. Inductees will be permanently recognized at Manheim Central High School, where their travels for this award started.

As a former Baron and Alumni of Manheim Central, Thompson has displayed great determination and perseverance in showcasing what is known as "Baron Pride". During his school years at Manheim Central, Thompson earned himself many honors, accolades, and accomplishments through his athletic career in both football and baseball. During his senior year, he not only was named 2nd team Lancaster Lebanon League Section II Quarterback but was also awarded 2nd Team Placekicker. He was honored with the Most Cooperative and the elite Frank W. Kirchner Award by his coaches, which is given to a former senior Baron that exemplifies the characteristics of a true Baron. He also received the Lancaster Optimist Club Award from - 1997, Rookie of the Year in Baseball - 1995, and Best Pitcher Award in Baseball - 1997. He was voted on by his peers as "Best All-Around" for his senior superlative and was a letter-winner in three sports until he gave up basketball after his sophomore year to focus more on football and baseball. Thompson excelled as a pitcher for the baseball team and as a Quarterback and Kicker for football. As a quarterback, Thompson held his own in the midst of arguably some of the most highly regarded Baron QB's in the history of the program - before him were his brother Jason Thompson and NFL Offensive Coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs Matt Nagy, and then former Michigan State Quarterback Jeff Smoker, who followed after Thompson. In and out of the headlines, Thompson became categorized with some of these top Baron greats and in 1996 Chris, as captain, helped guide the Barons to a Section II Title, District III AAA title, and a berth in the PIAA State playoffs.

After high school, Thompson accepted a scholarship to Bloomsburg University. He led the Huskies to two straight NCAA Division II Playoffs (2000, 2001) and a National Championship berth (2000). He went on to play professional arena football, turning to coaching after his playing days were over. In 2012, he was named Lehigh Valley Steelhawks Head Coach.

Thompson will be inducted into the 2016 Hall of Fame Class on Saturday, April 2nd at the Manheim Central Hall of Fame Day. The Steelhawks will be without Thompson's services for their away game in Winston-Salem, North Carolina this weekend so he can accept this great honor. Steelhawks Defensive Coordinator Bob Kohler will serve as a one-game interim Head Coach for the game.

"This is an amazing honor for Chris," stated Steelhawks General Manager Mike Clark. "This proves that his work ethic that he shows within our organization on a daily basis started at a young age, and to be recognized for his accomplishments is a great feat. The entire Steelhawks organization is very proud of Coach Thompson. The Barons made a fantastic selection for this this year's award."

It's not too late to get 2016 flex packs either. Both they and individual game packages to watch the Steelhawks play inside the PPL Center are on sale now. Keep checking for the latest news and events from the Steelhawks. For further information please call Lehigh Valley Steelhawks Executive Vice President and General Manager Mike Clark at (610) 282-3100, or visit our website at www.LVSteelhawks.com for the latest Steelhawks news. Reserve your seat now by calling the Steelhawks office at 610-282-3100. The Steelhawks play all of their home games on Embassy Bank Field inside the PPL Center.



American Indoor Football Stories from March 31, 2016


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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