When I heard that Ed Thomas was killed, I was stunned. I asked myself why would anyone want to kill that man? It was terrible.
I actually played for his brother Greg Thomas at Humboldt Iowa. Ed was at all of our camps and I always learned a lot from him.
It was my junior year in high school when I transferred to Humboldt and attended the annual football camp. Ed Thomas was there. He helped out and I learned a lot from him.
When I came to Humboldt, I had lost my faith in football the school I came from had a coach that was old and out of touch with his players. He had made football miserable for me. When I came to Humboldt I decided to give it one more shot.
The first day of camp, Ed Thomas gave a speech telling us how much we will miss football once it's gone. He told us how different it would be once our four years were up and we were on the other side of the fence.
He helped me rediscover how much I loved football and showed me all the things I would (and do) miss, now because I don't play anymore.
He was one of the influences that led me to want to be a football coach. He is someone who will never be on the other side of the fence. He built a dynasty at Applington Parkersburg and he did it the right way: with respect and integrity.
He is and always will be a very important person in my life.
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