Coach Thomas To Be Inducted Into Missouri Sports Hall Of Fame
Launch the media gallery 1 playerFootball Coach Mark Thomas has been a part of seven teams that have played in state championship either as a player, assistant coach, or head coach – and six of those teams won it all. As a high school head coach, he is a combined 161-104 through Oct. 16, 2020, with four state championship teams – Boonville (1998 in Class 3), Kearney (2002, 2003 in Class 4) and Odessa (2019 in Class 3). His heading coaching career covers time at Osceola (1980), Odessa (1985-1987, 2013-current), Boonville (1996-1998), Kearney (1999-2006), and Belton (2011-2012). A William Jewell College graduate, he also served as an assistant at Jefferson City (1981-1984, 2006-2010) and the University of Central Missouri (1988-1995). Thomas was a senior on Boonville’s 1974 state championship team and an assistant on Jefferson City’s 1984 team that won Class 5. He also guided Odessa to a state runner-up in 2015.
Thomas will soon be inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame during the Enshrinement in Kansas City presented by Great Southern Bank. The Enshrinement in Kansas City features a noon reception and then the ceremony at 1 p.m. Sunday, November 15th, at Hy-Vee Arena, the renovated facility formerly known as Kemper Arena. The event will adhere to the City of Kansas City Health Department guidelines.