HAMILTON — Hamilton High School didn’t have to look far to find the next leaders of two of its most tradition-rich athletic programs.
One helped deliver a state championship as a player. The other spent the past 15 years helping build and maintain a successful program from inside the dugout.
Hamilton announced Tuesday that 1997 graduate Curtus Moak has been hired as the Big Blue’s head baseball coach, while longtime assistant Derek Thomas has been elevated to lead the softball program.
Both understand the history attached to their new positions.
“I’m just excited to have coaches in place that understand the deep traditions and will maintain those while moving forward,” Hamilton athletic director Missy Harvey said. “Their plans to move ahead are thorough, and I am looking forward to seeing a great deal of success from both programs in the coming years.”
Moak replaces Josh Sams, who led Hamilton for the past three seasons.
Thomas succeeds longtime coach Steve Heckman, who retired after 36 years with the softball program, including 34 as head coach. Thomas has been around for nearly half of that run.
“It’s an honor. It really is,” Thomas said. “I’m super excited to get started. I just want to do the program right. I just want to continue what Steve has built over the past 34 years and just kind of run with it.”
Thomas is entering his 28th year with Hamilton City Schools and teaches math at Wilson Middle School, where he also serves as athletic director.
Thomas had also been preparing for the possibility of eventually succeeding Heckman. The two discussed the future of the program several times over the past few years, particularly after Heckman retired from teaching and began considering when he would step away from coaching.
Thomas used that time to observe.
“I made sure I kind of stepped back and watched a little bit, just really observed what he was doing and how he was doing things,” Thomas said. “I just kind of took everything in as far as, ‘OK, yes, this is something I want to do.’
“When the opportunity came up, I jumped on it.”
Hamilton’s decision also means much of the infrastructure around the softball program should remain intact.
Thomas said the other Big Blue assistants encouraged him to pursue the position after Heckman’s retirement became official and indicated they wanted to remain with the program.
“Everybody kind of gave me the backing, like, ‘Yes, we want you to go after it. We want it to be yours, and we’re going to stick around as long as you’ll have us,’” Thomas said. “I think we have a good thing going with our team and how we work together. We’re not going to break what doesn’t need fixing.”
Harvey said Thomas’ experience and relationships within the program made him a natural fit.
“Derek understands what it means to wear the Big Blue uniform,” Harvey said. “His years of dedication to our softball program, his relationships with our athletes and families, and his vision for the future made him the clear choice to lead our program.
“He respects the tradition that has made Big Blue softball successful, while bringing the passion, leadership and fresh perspective necessary to continue that success.”
Thomas inherits a program Heckman guided to 474 victories and three state tournament appearances.
Hamilton reached state in 2001, 2002 and 2006 and finished as the Division I runner-up in 2001. Heckman was a five-time Greater Miami Conference Coach of the Year.
The Big Blue went 16-10 overall and 13-5 in the GMC during his final season.
Thomas plans to build on that foundation with an offseason program emphasizing player development, accountability, team culture and year-round opportunities to improve.
Moak’s homecoming comes with a similar appreciation of the past but a different challenge.
Hamilton finished 10-17 overall and 7-11 in the GMC this past spring. Moak takes over a program with state championships in 1983 and 1997 that is looking to reestablish itself among the conference’s consistent contenders.
Moak helped coach Dan Bowling’s 1997 team finish 30-2, capture the Division I state championship and earn a No. 2 national ranking from USA Today.
“I think a lot of people reference how things in your life can become full circle, and that’s definitely the case for me,” Moak said. “A city, a community, coaches have poured into my life since I started off at North End in T-ball.
“This is an incredible honor. I’m truly privileged and honored to be able to have this opportunity to help Hamilton High baseball continue to be a place that does baseball well and has a legacy of that.”
Moak played first base and pitched during Hamilton’s state tournament run, earning the victory in relief in an 8-7 championship-game win over Toledo Start.
His career continued at the University of Cincinnati, where the left-hander was a two-time second-team All-Conference USA selection and finished his career as the program’s all-time leader with 99 appearances. He recorded 19 victories and 15 saves.
The Cincinnati Reds selected Moak in the 25th round of the 2001 Major League Baseball draft. He spent four seasons in professional baseball, compiling a 12-7 record with a 3.70 ERA in 123 appearances.
Moak later coached Cincinnati Christian from 2016 through 2019. After going 5-17 during his first season, the Cougars eventually made consecutive Division IV regional appearances.
He stepped away from coaching after the 2019 season largely to watch his children play. Moak has served as lead pastor at Hamilton Christian Center since October 2015.
“We are excited to welcome Curtus back home to lead our baseball program,” Harvey said. “His passion for Hamilton, his baseball background, his proven coaching ability, and his commitment to building relationships with our players, families, alumni and youth programs make him an outstanding fit.”
Moak’s plan includes reconnecting former players with the program, strengthening relationships with Hamilton’s youth baseball organizations and emphasizing year-round player development.
At its core is what Moak calls “Inside-Out Coaching.”
“I believe the philosophy that I am going to bring to Hamilton baseball is from the inside out,” Moak said. “I believe that identity has to be found within the program, within the players, within the coaches, within the parents.”
Moak said establishing that identity must come before worrying about results.
“Identity has got to be a priority,” Moak said. “That’s going to eventually affect mindset, and then comes execution.
“The reality is we’re not just coaching baseball players. We’re coaching future citizens of Hamilton or somewhere. So, for me, culture is king.”
Moak remembers growing up alongside future Hamilton teammates Aaron Cook and Chad Pennington and talking about winning a state championship before they ever reached high school.
Players such as Ricky Stone and Mark Lewis gave them examples to follow. Joe Nuxhall represented the city’s larger baseball legacy.
“We had aspirations and dreams,” Moak said. “We were kids coming and watching these guys hit home runs and throw 90 miles an hour. It just felt accomplishable to us. Like, we’re going to do that as well — and even greater.”
