ED THOMAS- (July 17,1950-June 24,2009) 59 yrs.old, a high school football coach of Aplington-Parkersburg High School, Parkerburg, Iowa. He was shot at the football teams
weight room. He was killed by Mark Becker, 2004 Aplington-Parkersburg graduate, and a
former player. Thomas was the coach who triumphed in his field.
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He coached Aplington-Parkersburg Falcon for 37 years, won 2 state titles, many winning sessions and national recognitions. He was credited with having coached four current NFL players which is the most per capita of any high school in the nation. Aaron Kampman (Jacksonville Jaguars), Brad Meester (Jacksonville Jaguars), Jared De Vries (Detroit Lions), and Casey Weigman (Denver Broncos). In 2005, Thomas won the prestigious NFL High School Coach of the year. Landon Schrage was signed in 2006 as a long snapper for the (Baltimore Ravens) making him the 5th player coached by Thomas to reach the NFL.
In the night of his death, 2,500 mourners gathered for a candle vigil. He was featured on the July 6, 2009 Sports Illustrated. On August 28, 2009, the national cable network ESPN televised Aplington-Parkersburg first high school football game of the year in honor of Coach Thomas.
A great man in the history of Sports, Coach Ed Thomas, what was behind his triumph and achievements?
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COMPASSION
Terry DeGroote, 42 one of the former player of Aplington, when asked what he remembers most about CoachThomas, DeGroote answered without any hesitation. “COMPASSION” He had compassion for anybody, everybody—whether it was football, whether it was school, whether it was in town.
LEADERSHIP
On May 2008, tornado devastated Parkersburg, he was instrumental in leading the town back from that disaster with his actions and his optimistic atitude.
FAITH and LEGACY
"His (LEGACY) for many will be associated with his tremendous success as a football coach," said Green Bay Packers linebacker Aaron Kampman. " However, I believe his greatest legacy comes not in how many football games he won or lost but in the fact that he was a COMMITTED FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST."
It's just the stuff that he taught every one of us, stuff that I'll never forget, Meester said in a statement, "The VALUE of HARDWORK, PRIDE in what you DO and just CARING about the guy beside you and that's what he did."
These are but just little things behind Coach Ed Thomas triumph but became great when he put it into practice.
Goldman, Tom, "Emotional Game Honors Slain Coach in Iowa"
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