Kyle Richardson
Thomas Curle’s Impact
By Kyle Richardson
News Writing and Reporting
PLATTSBURGH – Jordan Moody’s basketball career at Plattsburgh was a bumpy ride. He
showed spurts of greatness his first two years as a Cardinal but wasn’t always happy with the
number of minutes he was playing, so his junior year he left the team mid-season.
Instead of giving up on Moody, coach Thomas Curle gave him a chance to earn his spot
back by working hard in the preseason and performing well in tryouts.
Not only did Moody make the team his senior year, he ended the season as the second
leading scorer for the Cardinals and was awarded All-SUNYAC second team for his extraordinary
play.
“Success comes from recruiting young boys, and molding them into men,” said Curle,
who began coaching at Plattsburgh in 2003.
Changing the lives of players has a greater impact than winning basketball games. Curle
may be the winningest coach in Plattsburgh history, but the lessons, stories and relationships
he built with his players is his greatest win.
In his time here, the Cardinals have been in four SUNYAC championships and made six
NCAA tournament appearances. Although this year’s senior class did not win a championship,
the lessons, values and experience they gained under Curle will be far more valuable than the
game according to his players.
“Coach is a true leader, under his guidance and tutelage I became a better leader
myself,” Moody said.
As captain of the team, criticism is something Ezra Hodgson has to take well in order to
lead his team and set an example. Curle taught Ezra how to handle adversity and doubt with
grace.
“Being criticized can be really hard, but if you understand that it will only make you
better, you then have control of how great you can become,” Hodgson said.
Mike Mitchell’s most memorable experience under Curle was going to the Sweet 16 of
the NCAA tournament. Before the tournament started, the coach walked into the locker room
and told his guys, “dream big,” and that is exactly that they did.
In his four years playing for the coach, empathy is the trait Mitchell admired most and
learned from Curle.
“Not only does he care for people in his circle, he seeks to find those he can build up and
mold into successful men,” said Mike.
As a coach, you strive to win and take pride in doing so. For Curle, winning is seeing his
players graduate from college and become successful men. Seven of his eight seniors will
graduate this year. Graduating college is a far greater accomplishment than any basketball
awards.