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Coach Thomas
Coach Thomas is a highly experienced and accomplished basketball coach based in Toronto, Canada. With 15 years of coaching experience, he holds the highest certification available in Canada, having completed the NCCP Level 3 training with Canada Basketball. Coach Thomas currently works part-time for the Toronto Raptors as a Community Youth Development Coach, where he is a lead coach and facilitates the classroom portion of the Raptors Basketball Academy.
Aside from his work with the Raptors, Coach Thomas is an elementary school teacher, specializing in Science and Math, and a Physical Education Specialist. Despite teaching at one of the smallest schools in York Region, Coach Thomas has achieved tremendous success with his girls basketball team, winning 5 York Region Championships between 2015 and 2019. His success has garnered media attention, with CTV News featuring his girls basketball program in two segments, highlighting the positive impact it had on the school community and players in a low socio-economic neighbourhood.
Coach Thomas also coaches in the Ontario Basketball League, with his girls teams playing in the OBLX division for the past 5 years. In 2022, his IEM Oak Ridges team finished 3rd in the Ontario Basketball Association, U15 Division. In 2023 he is the Head Coach of the IEM Juel Prep team, which is in the top 3rd of 19 teams in its first year. Coach Thomas' ability to develop players to play at a high level is evident in his team's consistent success, despite often losing most of his starting lineups to great offers.
He uses his opportunity at the Raptors to connect with and learn from some of the best trainers in the Greater Toronto Area and beyond, constantly improving his programs. Coach Thomas has had the opportunity to work with Raptor's players like Demar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry, Paskal Siakam and Fred VanVleet at camps and clinics.
For just over 25 years, Coach Thomas played for the Aurora Barbarians Rugby Club in the Ontario Rugby League. This experience allows him to brings a unique perspective of coaching basketball that has proven to be successful.
Coach Thomas is a graduate of York University with a Specialized Honours degree in Kinesiology and Health Sciences, and a Bachelor of Education, from the University of Toronto.