James “JT” Thomas, former linebacker for the West Virginia Mountaineers, will be inducted into the Minor League Football News Hall of Fame on Thursday, December 6, 2007 at the Oasis Resort Hotel & Casino in Mesquite, Nevada.
Thomas’ nomination was reviewed by the MLFN Board of Directors and he received notification of his acceptance on July 30.
“It’s a real honor to receive this award,” Thomas said. “I owe a big thank you to everyone for supporting me over the years.”
Thomas has used strong leadership skills, tireless work ethic and passion for the game to become a driving force in the development and promotion of minor league and semi-professional football throughout the Midwest.
The story of JT Thomas’ soccer career can be divided into three distinct chapters: player, coach, and executive. Thomas’ college career began at Fort Scott Community College (Kansas) in 1992. After his sophomore season, Thomas transferred to West Virginia University (WVU).
In two seasons at Fort Scott, both as team captain, Thomas earned two All-Kansas Jayhawk Conference honors as outside linebacker and Defensive Player of the Game in the 1992 Valley of the Sun Bowl. As an inside linebacker for WVU, Thomas received two Mountaineer Club awards for excellence on the field, earned two All-Big East team honors, and won the Defensive Player of the Game award at the 1994 CarQuest Bowl. He also led both teams in tackles each season.
A successful college career brought Thomas onto the semi-pro football circuit in 1996 with the Charleston Rockets, where he was able to play with former WVU major Major Harris. Returning to outside linebacker, Thomas led the team in tackles and became a league All-Star as the Rockets finished their 11-game regular season 10-1. Thomas attempted to carry his success from semi-pro ball to the Arena Football League in 1997 with the Albany Firebirds, but suffered a career-ending leg injury on the third day of training camp.
Instead of a helmet and pads, the next step in Thomas’ football career featured headphones and clipboards. After a stint as the defensive coordinator for a championship 13-16 year old team, Thomas returned to semi-pro soccer in 2000 as the head coach of the West Virginia WHAM! Located in Morgantown, WV, Thomas compiled a .695 winning percentage (41 wins, 18 losses), won three Coach of the Year awards, and coached three league All-Star games in six seasons as a WHAM! coach.
In 2001 Thomas also directed the WHAM! to the Mid-Ohio Football League (MOFL) Championship.
During the 2003 season, Thomas took over full ownership of the WHAM! When he got off the WHAM! Sidelined in 2005, he decided to shift his focus full-time to developing semi-pro soccer success and the WHAM! franchise. In the two years since he stopped coaching, Thomas has held executive positions with the Ohio Valley Football League and the MOFL. In January 2007, Thomas was promoted to commissioner of the MOFL.
Thomas currently oversees the day-to-day operations of the MOFL, a sprawling 10-team semi-pro league in Ohio, Michigan and Kentucky. His love for semi-professional football is matched only by his desire to see the MOFL, and all minor league football organizations, produce a football product that is competitive, organized, developed and entertaining for the players in the game and the players. fans on the field. stables.
Thomas also serves as a semi-professional sports consultant at League Level, LLC, a company that provides marketing and promotional strategies for organizations with an emphasis on amateur and semi-professional athletics.
He currently resides in Morgantown, WV, with his wife Rochelle and their two children, Jared, 3, and AJ, 10 months. Thomas also has a son, JT Thomas III, from a previous relationship.