Far From Home: How EC’s Thompson found his feet on the field and on the Plateau

For many players, Friday night lights are some of the best times of their lives. For Eastside Catholic’s Asa Thompson, to say that would be an understatement.

3rd and long in the 4th quarter of a tied-up game against O’Dea — one of the strongest football programs in the state and one of your school’s biggest rivals — is a high pressure moment, one that can produce memories that most players only dream about. But Thompson was put in this situation in his first ever high school football game as a freshman, and like any future star would, he shined. Thompson caught a ball on the sideline and took it 60 yards to the house sealing the victory for his school. Talk about setting a tone.

Those 60 yards became 1,000 yards, 60 receptions, 12 touchdowns, and a state championship appearance in the first two seasons of the Eastside Catholic receiver’s career.

Thompson’s accomplishments on the field are clearly noteworthy, but his story goes so much farther than his stat line.

Thompson’s family and home are in Spanaway, Washington — a 2 hour drive away from Eastside Catholic. Due to the lengthy commute Thompson and his family were forced to make a tough decision regarding his future, ultimately opting to have Thompson live away from his family in Spanaway and instead with teammates closer to Sammamish.

He was now 2 hours away from home with no car, a new family, and new goals. Obviously, this level of lifestyle change could have a significant impact on a young person. And it certainly factors into Thompson’s thinking.

“I feel like there are higher expectations on my shoulders. Knowing that if I don’t perform, my parents and coaches could rethink my decisions to move. I try to keep those negative thoughts out of my mind but, they are always there in the background.”

What Thompson does seems to be working. The Spanaway native is thriving as one of the Crusaders best offensive players for two seasons running, and his coach Elisha Pa’aga is quick to offer his own encouragement.

“Asa has handled [the change] really well. He has never been a kid to get in trouble, never has to be talked to about certain things. This kid has come from far. He’s dealing with many problems like a lack of sleep, waking up early, and getting home late. You would expect him slip in some areas, but for him, this place has given him a idea of what college is like. Go to school, go to practice, and come home late. He fit in well, and it’ll all be better in the future.”

For Thompson, that future is rapidly approaching. So he’s already preparing mentally for the college football lifestyle. The young receiver earned his first D1 offer in January of his freshman year from the University of Nevada, and that offer has since been followed up by five other offers since then, including schools like The University of Washington and The University of Oregon.

But the weight that Thompson felt from his family making such significant sacrifices lifted once that first offer came in.

“It felt great to get my first offer, like those late nights and sacrifices had paid off a little, and I knew it was really time for me to take the next step in my football career. It really helped me to push myself and keep on working because that feeling was something I knew I wanted to feel again.”

Coach Pa’aga continued to shower praise on one of the pillars of EC’s offense.

“Asa is doing is thing. We have lots of great players and getting a spot here is hard, but he knew that when he came in. When Asa came as a young freshman, he set a tone real quick. Some players have that ‘it’ factor, and you tell quickly who does and who doesn’t: Asa most definitely did.”

Thompson is adamant about the support he has received and how thankful he is for everything people have given him to help chase his dream.

“I feel very taken in by [the EC community]. It’s a very welcoming community, and I am super blessed to have such amazing people supporting me at all times.”

It took lots of work to get Thompson to become a Crusader, finding places to stay during the season and having families take him in was a lot of work, but the EC community took him in.

With such a prominent football program like EC’s, the culture surrounding it can be intimidating to many. So, when a freshman comes into the team and scores a 60 yard touchdown in his first game against its biggest rival, it sends a statement about what his career could look like.

But the “statement” play against O’Dea only put the league on notice for what Thompson could accomplish.

“That was my first game, so that play really let people know what type of player I was. I didn’t want to be just hype. I used that a moment to prove myself, and I knew if I was doing that as a freshman, then if I keep on working, I could really be something and do something special.”

Clearly the expectations for Thompson were high, and he has delivered so far. In his two seasons with EC, the Crusaders have finished 2nd and 3rd in the state, and Thompson has been helping the offense week in and week out. Despite his obvious success, the WR still isn’t content to settle.

“I want to be one of the best [players] in the country. I know the work that comes with it, and I know for a fact I can do it. As for the team goals, obviously falling just short of winning state sucks, and it’s always going to be the team’s goal to win state. And for what I want to do to help, I really will do anything. I want to be a ‘team first,’ type of guy. If I got to play different positions, I will, if it helps the team.”

Asa Thompson’s story is unique and inspiring to any young athlete with a dream. Thompson is dedicated and focused on achieving his dream. His story shows that adversity can come in all shapes and sizes and what really matters, is how you overcome it.