Head football coach Levi Thoman is implementing a new culture focused on hard work and community support to revitalize a program coming off a winless season. Thoman said the players are actively working to change the team’s atmosphere through dedicated weight room sessions and successful fundraising efforts for a new field house.
Coach Levi Thoman said the local community has shown significant support for the football program during his first off-season leading the team. Thoman said the players have demonstrated a strong desire to build the program up by working extremely well during off-season preparations.
“It’s just taught me that the community is for football in Pickett County,” Thoman said. “We’ve raised a lot through fundraising to get a new field house and everything.”
Thoman said the small size of the school and the community presents unique challenges regarding player numbers and available resources. Thoman said he encourages his athletes to be tough enough to compensate for the roster size during every practice and weight room session.
“Overcoming it just the resources and the amount of players, it’s just we gotta every practice every weight room we just gotta tell ’em you got to work out for two,” Thoman said. “You have to you have to be tough enough for two that way we can overcome the numbers difference.”
Thoman said the key to increasing student participation in the football program is creating a sense of pride and achieving success on the field. Thoman said winning games at home is the most effective way to shift the atmosphere and attract more players to the team.
“A lot of it it really just boils down to it if we we just got to we’re trying to get one just kind of get more resources give ’em something to be proud of,” Thoman said. “Kind of we’re just working toward just what little resources we have making the best of ’em.”
Thoman said he has motivated his players to move past the disappointments of the previous year by focusing on the future. Thoman said he told the team that the only way to change their results is to work harder and be better than they were a year ago.
“The only thing if you do glance back at it remember how much it hurt and the only way to change that is to work harder than we did last year and to be better than we were last year,” Thoman said. “Don’t don’t think about last year.”
Thoman said the senior class has provided a foundation of hope through their dedication and leadership for the younger players. Thoman said senior fullback Colson West, wide receiver Jackson Smith, and running back and safety Ryder Johnson are expected to be standout contributors this season.
“They’ve really they’re trying to really set the tone for the younger ones telling ’em how they’ve had four years or three years prior to this and it’s not went well and the only way to change it is to be more dedicated and to show up to practice and to work as hard as you can at practice,” Thoman said. “So our senior class has given me hope pretty well.”
Thoman said junior lineman Colby Harris has emerged as a motivator for the offensive and defensive lines. Thoman said sophomore quarterbacks Hunter Nicholas and Chase Rich have also distinguished themselves through their leadership and perfect attendance at practices and fundraising events.
“Both of them are great just leaders and then also in the classroom they they never get in trouble at school and they’re always trying to keep everyone else out of trouble,” Thoman said. “And then they’ve never missed a fundraising event never missed a practice or anything.”
Thoman said he does not work as a teacher at the high school but serves the community in a different capacity. Thoman said he is a deputy within the county and remains available to discuss the program’s progress throughout the season.
