Funeral Arrangements set for Southern Track Coach Johnny Thomas
SWAC.org
June 12, 2009
(Courtesy of Southern Sports Information) - Funeral arrangements have been set for longtime Southern track and field coach, Johnny Thomas, who passed away last week after battling cancer for two years.
The details are as follows:
Date: Saturday, June 20, 2009
Time: Viewing from 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Service: 11:00 a.m.
Where: Living Faith Christian Center
Address: 6375 Winbourne Avenue, Baton Rouge, LA 70805
Pastor: Bishop Raymond W. Johnson
Phone: 225-357-0377
Funeral Home: Winnfield Funeral Home of Baton Rouge - 7221 Plank Road, Baton Rouge, LA 20811- 225-357-2656
Johnny L. Thomas Sr. was born in 1940 in Baton Rouge, LA, and graduated from McKinley Sr. High School in 1959. Thomas, a Southern University alum, received his B.A. in 1963 and received his masters degree in 1973 from SU.
Thomas was his high school's record holder in the 100, 220 and 440 yard dashes, and upon his graduation from McKinley, earned a scholarship in track & field to Southern University.
During his professional career, Thomas served the community as a teacher, coach and guidance counselor. T
homas started his coaching career in 1978 as a volunteer coach that lasted until 1984. In 1987 he was named head track & field coach at SU. He moved the womens program through the transition from NAIA to AIAW and on to the NCAA in 1982.
Although the honors have been numerous, some of the more important honors include High School Coach of the Year, Louisiana Track Coach of the Year and SWAC Coach of the Year. Thomas amassed 45 SWAC Championships in cross-country, indoor and outdoor track & field for both the womens and mens programs.
Thomas was also the creator of the Track Club for Girls and later the Baton Rouge Express Track Club for ages 7-18. He is also the only African-American to win Louisiana State Singles Championship in Bowling in addition to publishing an article in Coaches Magazine on hurdling.
Coach Johnny Thomas was inducted into the Southern University Sports Hall of Fame and the Southwestern Athletic Conference Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.
He is survived by his wife of many years, Lula, along with one son, Johnny Thomas, Jr. of Baton Rouge and his brother, Donald Thomas of Baton Rouge.
"Our program has suffered a great loss in the passing of Coach Johnny Thomas," says Greg LaFleur, Southern's Director of Athletics. "He served this department in a first-class manner. He was also one of the most respected track coaches in the nation. His coaching style and the way he was able to get the very best out of his athletes was uncanny."
"This is a tremendous loss for the Southern University Department of Athletics, and the track and field world," adds Kevin Manns, Director of Sports Information at Southern. "Coach T meant so much to so many people throughout the city of Baton Rouge. He did so much to promote track and field throughout our community and what he accomplished as head coach of SUs Track and Field Programs will never be surpassed. He will be sorely missed."
At this time funeral and wake arrangements are incomplete.