“At first I was challenged and dismayed but being surrounded by young Christians who were actually nice to each other helped me tremendously.”
What is your fondest TCA memory?
Playing soccer was definitely my fondest memory. Discovering this sport and my Christian coaches showed me how to live my faith. This experience brought renewed optimism and satisfaction that I have a place in this world and God’s kingdom.
What do you love about TCA?
I love that the parents are involved in the school. In my time parents were at the forefront of raising funds for a new school. They were involved in chapel, in sports, and in supporting the teachers. At a time when I wanted to avoid my parents and school, but because of TCA, I grew to love them more.
Describe one of your favorite teachers you had in your time at TCA and tell why he/she is your favorite:
Helmut Hensel took me in. He spent extra time with me, taking me to future colleges, he spent time with me in the summer, even helped me to find part-time work. He and my other coach, Mark Jordan are still friends to this day. I was reconnected to both along the Appalachian Trail a few years back and they continue to be integral in my life.
Did attending TCA help you grow in your faith? If so, how?
Yes. At first I was challenged and dismayed but being surrounded by young Christians who were actually nice to each other helped me tremendously.
How do you feel that TCA prepared you for graduation, college, and life after school? What are you up to now?
In one of my first study halls, everyone was studying for a test that wasn’t until Friday. “Are you kidding?” I wondered. There would have been little hope for me to complete college without the study skills I witnessed and eventually practiced in college and graduate school.
Please feel free to pass along anything else about your TCA story that you would love to make known.
After TCA, I got to play soccer at Messiah college. Several years later my wife and I moved to Indiana with our three children so I could get my doctorate in Psychology, after which I spent 20 years in the Navy. Now I am a writer and have one book, “When Sunday Smiled,” published by Elk Lake Publishing. It is about my pilgrimage on the Appalachian Trail after my son was killed. A second book, my first novel will be published in 2021. Please get in touch with me at: andymdavidson.com