Thomas leaves behind comeback program

Sam Heikell, Sports Editor
Originally published February 10, 2016

Following the program’s most successful season in recent history, head coach, Joey Thomas, has decided to resign.

Gathering the team together for a final meeting on Jan. 4, Thomas broke the news to his players as well as celebrated the team’s victory against rival Roosevelt in the Anchor Bowl. The team colored their prized anchor red, something he got to experience for his first and final time.

“Decorating the anchor definitely was special because Ballard hasn’t been able to do that in a long time, but at the same time we were all sad to hear that coach was resigning,” junior wide receiver Eric Henderson said about the meeting.

“Him stepping down came as a big surprise to me,” junior Corbin Gabrel said. “I don’t think anyone really saw it coming.”

Along with the head coaching job, Thomas will be leaving his position as a G.A.I.N.S. coordinator at the end of the school year. G.A.I.N.S., an acronym for Graduation Assistance Identifying the Needs of Students, is a program developed by Principal Keven Wynkoop and is designed to help students with lower or failing grades raise them in time for graduation.

The Ballard Foundation, a group of alumni, donates a certain amount of money to the school every year beyond the usual budget, to be used as the school chooses. When coach Thomas was hired, some of the extra money was put into founding the G.A.I.N.S. program, which the Ballard Foundation agreed to fund for five years.

But once the five years has come to an end, the foundation may not have enough money and resources to continue the program.

With the program possibly not returning in the future, Thomas had to make a safe decision for his family. “A conversation was had about whether or not we would have enough funding to continue the program, and I saw that as a deterrent,” Thomas said. “So it was one of the reasons that led me to step down.”

Over his five year tenure, Thomas (20-29) won ten more games than Ballard’s previous five seasons and helped bring the program out of a long desiccation. “He definitely helped a lot to turn the program around from a losing team into a positive team where kids want to come and play,” Gabrel said.

“When I took the job, one of the things that people would tell me is that I would never win here,” Thomas said. “And that’s part of the reason why I took the job, I liked the challenge.”

But this last season was Thomas’ most successful one. Ballard (8-3) played in two games against competitive out of state opponents, went undefeated in their division and made their first playoff appearance in the state tournament in over ten years.

“I got love for all of my players,” Thomas said. “And I’ll be helping them and staying in touch with them forever.”