Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics
Shaping the Best
July 15, 2021 | Track & Field, Joel Coleman, Olympic Games
From top-tier Bulldogs to Olympians, Steve Thomas has a reputation for getting the most out of his athletes
STARKVILLE – For four decades now, Steve Thomas has been reading, listening and taking in just about all the information he can find. The Mississippi State assistant track & field coach has taken all he's learned and developed a reputation all around the globe for being a man who knows how to train and get the most out of top-level athletes.
So it's perhaps fitting that as Thomas describes MSU, it almost goes hand in hand with who he is himself.
"We're a blue-collar school and you have to be a blue-collar athlete in this sport," Thomas said. "You have to put in the work and do the hard things."
Thomas expects commitment from his athletes. And if they need an example of it, they need only to look to Thomas himself, a man that has spent years honing his craft and getting results, both at Mississippi State and all across the world.
Thomas has coached numerous All-Americans. He's tutored one to a national championship. He's had a hand in the careers of five different Olympians, including former Mississippi State Bulldog Falilatu Ogunkoya, who won silver and bronze medals at the 1996 Games in Atlanta.
Make no mistake about it, Thomas' worldwide success isn't by accident.
Roots from Russia
Long before Thomas became internationally known, he was an All-District runner as an undergraduate at Oklahoma Christian. He'd later earn a master's degree in education from Stephen F. Austin in 1983. It was around that time the seeds were planted for who Thomas now is.
Thomas was interning with the NFL's Dallas Cowboys under legendary strength coach, Dr. Bob Ward. Ward knew of Thomas' strong interest in track and field, so the teacher gave words of advice to the student that put Thomas on his path.
"He told me, 'You need to study what the Russians are doing,'" Thomas recalled.
So that's precisely what Thomas did. He went to work gathering all the details that he could on the incredibly successful Russian training and coaching methods.
"At that time, it was hard to get information," Thomas said. "Dr. [Michael] Yessis out of California who had left Russia, he was getting and interpreting information in English and putting out a magazine. So I started reading that. I later went to England and went to East Germany and met some Russian coaches and got to be friends."
Thomas started soaking it all in. Key in enhancing Thomas' knowledge and understanding were the works of Russian scientist Yuri Verkhoshansky, the man widely known as the "Father of Plyometrics". Thomas spent a week with Verkhoshansky while both men were in Italy back in 1999. Later, Verkhoshansky's daughter, Natalia, would pass along some of her father's notes to Thomas.
Layer after layer, brick after brick was being put in place for Thomas. He continued to grow in knowledge and passed along all he was learning to the athletes he was coaching.
The Resume
Thomas' results speak for themselves. He's guided collegiate athletes at South Alabama, Florida and Kentucky, in addition to now being in his second stint at Mississippi State.
At South Alabama, he produced 20 Sun Belt Conference Champions and the school's first-ever NCAA qualifier. Thomas won four Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year Awards in his time.
At Florida, Thomas led nine All-Americans, six Southeastern Conference champions and a pair of NCAA East Region champs.
He shined at Kentucky as he coached a six-time All-American honoree in the shot put and helped others to high marks. And of course there has been much success at MSU.
In his first Starkville experience from 1988 through 1992, Thomas trained two All-Americans and six All-SEC athletes, while those under him accounted for a combined 11 individual conference titles.
Thomas returned to Mississippi State in 2011 and since then, has coached 23 athletes to All-American status and helped Erica Bougard to an NCAA title.
As for Thomas' Olympic footprint, there was Ogunkoya, along with American Charles Austin and Steve Smith from Great Britain. Thomas is currently aiding the coaches of a couple of different athletes from Bulgaria.Â
The years of dedication to his passion have paid off and continue to pay off for Thomas. And you better believe Mississippi State is grateful to have him in maroon and white.
"Steve Thomas is an amazing asset to this program," MSU head track and field coach Chris Woods said. "His coaching pedigree is unmatched by the majority of coaches throughout the world. We're extremely fortunate to have Steve with us as we make our way towards winning a national championship title. Steve has the ability to not only develop young people as athletes, but also mold them into being successful adults upon graduation. That's one of our main focuses as a coaching staff, to recruit teenagers and help mold them into being successful young men and young women upon graduating from Mississippi State University. Steve Thomas has proven time and time again that he is one of the best at accomplishing those things. I am truly blessed to have Steve Thomas be a part of my staff."
Giving Back
When you have the type of success Thomas has found, word gets around. So it's perhaps little surprise that, in addition to coaching, Thomas has spent a good deal of time sharing what he knows to help others.
Thomas frequently writes articles for Techniques – the official magazine of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. He's gone around the world and let others pick his brain, conducting clinics in Australia, Belgium, England, Germany, Mexico and Switzerland, as well as a two-week clinic in China in 1994.
"Internationally, I'm kind of viewed as having expertise in areas that I don't know if I actually have expertise," Thomas said with a chuckle.
But the proof is in the pudding. Thomas very much is one of the brightest training minds there is. And he absolutely loves it. He finds fulfillment in seeing his athletes get the most out of themselves.
"That's why you do it is to take the Erica Bougards and watch them develop over a period of time," Thomas said. "It's fun watching athletes develop."
Yes, it takes commitment from those athletes. It takes perseverance and patience to reap the rewards of Thomas' teachings.
"The athlete has to really buy into the training," Thomas said.
Once that happens though, time and time again it has been proven how Thomas can get the very most out of the individual, much like he's gotten the very most out of himself. And he's enjoyed every step of his still-ongoing journey.
"I'm lucky that I've done it," Thomas said. "I've never went to work a day in my life."
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So it's perhaps fitting that as Thomas describes MSU, it almost goes hand in hand with who he is himself.
"We're a blue-collar school and you have to be a blue-collar athlete in this sport," Thomas said. "You have to put in the work and do the hard things."
Thomas expects commitment from his athletes. And if they need an example of it, they need only to look to Thomas himself, a man that has spent years honing his craft and getting results, both at Mississippi State and all across the world.
Thomas has coached numerous All-Americans. He's tutored one to a national championship. He's had a hand in the careers of five different Olympians, including former Mississippi State Bulldog Falilatu Ogunkoya, who won silver and bronze medals at the 1996 Games in Atlanta.
Make no mistake about it, Thomas' worldwide success isn't by accident.
Roots from Russia
Long before Thomas became internationally known, he was an All-District runner as an undergraduate at Oklahoma Christian. He'd later earn a master's degree in education from Stephen F. Austin in 1983. It was around that time the seeds were planted for who Thomas now is.
Thomas was interning with the NFL's Dallas Cowboys under legendary strength coach, Dr. Bob Ward. Ward knew of Thomas' strong interest in track and field, so the teacher gave words of advice to the student that put Thomas on his path.
"He told me, 'You need to study what the Russians are doing,'" Thomas recalled.
So that's precisely what Thomas did. He went to work gathering all the details that he could on the incredibly successful Russian training and coaching methods.
"At that time, it was hard to get information," Thomas said. "Dr. [Michael] Yessis out of California who had left Russia, he was getting and interpreting information in English and putting out a magazine. So I started reading that. I later went to England and went to East Germany and met some Russian coaches and got to be friends."
Thomas started soaking it all in. Key in enhancing Thomas' knowledge and understanding were the works of Russian scientist Yuri Verkhoshansky, the man widely known as the "Father of Plyometrics". Thomas spent a week with Verkhoshansky while both men were in Italy back in 1999. Later, Verkhoshansky's daughter, Natalia, would pass along some of her father's notes to Thomas.
Layer after layer, brick after brick was being put in place for Thomas. He continued to grow in knowledge and passed along all he was learning to the athletes he was coaching.
The Resume
Thomas' results speak for themselves. He's guided collegiate athletes at South Alabama, Florida and Kentucky, in addition to now being in his second stint at Mississippi State.
At South Alabama, he produced 20 Sun Belt Conference Champions and the school's first-ever NCAA qualifier. Thomas won four Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year Awards in his time.
At Florida, Thomas led nine All-Americans, six Southeastern Conference champions and a pair of NCAA East Region champs.
He shined at Kentucky as he coached a six-time All-American honoree in the shot put and helped others to high marks. And of course there has been much success at MSU.
In his first Starkville experience from 1988 through 1992, Thomas trained two All-Americans and six All-SEC athletes, while those under him accounted for a combined 11 individual conference titles.
Thomas returned to Mississippi State in 2011 and since then, has coached 23 athletes to All-American status and helped Erica Bougard to an NCAA title.
As for Thomas' Olympic footprint, there was Ogunkoya, along with American Charles Austin and Steve Smith from Great Britain. Thomas is currently aiding the coaches of a couple of different athletes from Bulgaria.Â
The years of dedication to his passion have paid off and continue to pay off for Thomas. And you better believe Mississippi State is grateful to have him in maroon and white.
"Steve Thomas is an amazing asset to this program," MSU head track and field coach Chris Woods said. "His coaching pedigree is unmatched by the majority of coaches throughout the world. We're extremely fortunate to have Steve with us as we make our way towards winning a national championship title. Steve has the ability to not only develop young people as athletes, but also mold them into being successful adults upon graduation. That's one of our main focuses as a coaching staff, to recruit teenagers and help mold them into being successful young men and young women upon graduating from Mississippi State University. Steve Thomas has proven time and time again that he is one of the best at accomplishing those things. I am truly blessed to have Steve Thomas be a part of my staff."
Giving Back
When you have the type of success Thomas has found, word gets around. So it's perhaps little surprise that, in addition to coaching, Thomas has spent a good deal of time sharing what he knows to help others.
Thomas frequently writes articles for Techniques – the official magazine of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. He's gone around the world and let others pick his brain, conducting clinics in Australia, Belgium, England, Germany, Mexico and Switzerland, as well as a two-week clinic in China in 1994.
"Internationally, I'm kind of viewed as having expertise in areas that I don't know if I actually have expertise," Thomas said with a chuckle.
But the proof is in the pudding. Thomas very much is one of the brightest training minds there is. And he absolutely loves it. He finds fulfillment in seeing his athletes get the most out of themselves.
"That's why you do it is to take the Erica Bougards and watch them develop over a period of time," Thomas said. "It's fun watching athletes develop."
Yes, it takes commitment from those athletes. It takes perseverance and patience to reap the rewards of Thomas' teachings.
"The athlete has to really buy into the training," Thomas said.
Once that happens though, time and time again it has been proven how Thomas can get the very most out of the individual, much like he's gotten the very most out of himself. And he's enjoyed every step of his still-ongoing journey.
"I'm lucky that I've done it," Thomas said. "I've never went to work a day in my life."
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