PRP freshman Michael Thomas finds family, confidence through volleyball
Sports teams often function like a family — built on specific roles, chemistry, and personal sacrifice in pursuit of a common goal. For Pleasure Ridge Park freshman Michael Thomas, volleyball became exactly that: a place of belonging, growth, and perseverance.
“I love every single person on the team,” he said. “I found a whole new friend group, whole new people to respect and talk to about different things. Every game I come onto that court, I know exactly who I’m playing with and exactly what I can do. Volleyball is a sport where you have to have teamwork.”
His mother, Dominique Thomas, has seen firsthand how much the sport has impacted her son.
“Michael has made so many friends since he’s been on the volleyball team,” she said. “The bonds that he has with his teammates, the bond with the coaches, the unity, the celebrating together — it shows what a team is. The energy is so strong. It travels over to us adults in the crowd. It’s contagious.”
But Michael’s path to the court was not easy.
Over the last few years, he underwent two surgeries to align his feet, a condition that made everyday activities like walking and running difficult.
“They pointed outward, and he didn’t have arches in either of his feet,” Dominique said. “Walking and especially running were hard. As he got older, I began to see more issues with his feet.”
Michael remembers the physical challenges, but even more than that, he remembers his mindset.
“I remember not being able to walk and all that,” he said. “But I also remember having a lot of faith in myself. I always thought it was temporary — I’d get through the year and move on with life. I didn’t want the surgery to define me. I didn’t want to be the reason why I couldn’t do something.”
That determination eventually led him to volleyball, with his mother’s cautious support.
“I let him try, but I was still afraid,” Dominique said. “He had an amazing day. He came home tired at times because he was using his feet in ways he had never been able to before in his life.”
Michael said his early practices were challenging, but the team environment made all the difference.
“At first, those first few practices, I could tell it wasn’t good,” he said. “But I could also tell there was a lot of kindness, a lot of understanding around the team. Everybody wanted to be there to play volleyball. Nobody was there to disrespect or be rude. Everybody enjoyed the sport, and I really appreciated that.”
With Michael’s help, the Panthers reached the regional semifinals and finished 17-9 overall — the best record in program history.
“This year was a real place to show that we can do this in the future,” Michael said. “We have a very young team, so we’re going to keep this energy for a while. We have four freshmen, and three of them are starting. It was a really enjoyable year, and I loved it.”
For Dominique, watching her son compete is something she once wasn’t sure would ever happen.
“When I see Michael out there on the floor, I’m ecstatic,” she said. “That’s something I didn’t think my child would be able to do in the condition he was in. He found a team that worked with him and was patient with him. Coach Eli and Coach Jones are exactly what he needed. Not only did they accept him, they worked with him, helped him, loved him, and built his confidence.”
Now, that confidence has allowed Michael to embrace everything he has overcome — and to encourage others facing their own struggles.
“When you fall, you get up, and then you take another step,” he said. “You can’t hold on to one thing for the rest of your life. When you take that step, you’ve got to remember what happened for you to do that, and you keep doing it until you make it. I think everybody can do that.”
