The new softball field at Wolfe City High School has been named in memory of longtime teacher and coach Doug Thomas, who died in May 2018 following complications from a stroke earlier that year. He was 61 years old.
A dedication of the new facility took place Monday, April 26, 2021 at 4pm, just ahead of Wolfe City's final regular season matchup against the Bland Tigers, a game rescheduled after Friday's weather.
WCISD Superintendent Anthony Figueroa served as emcee for the event.
Thomas' longtime friend, fellow sciences teacher, and fellow softball coach Cheryl Anderson offered comments at the dedication describing his motivations for originally bringing the sport of softball to Wolfe City and the passion he had for the game and the success of its players, a roster that would eventually include his daughter, Courtney. Anderson recalled the early days of the softball program and the long hours that Thomas would spend readying the municipal fields for play (for safety, if nothing else, as the complex had been built upon a landfill, she shared.)
Later in the program, 2002 WCHS grad April Bellows (née Morris) shared her thoughts about Thomas from the perspective of his athletes - what he expected from his players and what he was willing to give toward their development. She told of a time she learned from Thomas not to be overly apologetic for mistakes on the field, but instead to put the effort toward addressing those mistakes. Bellows spoke for all Thomas' athletes, and she briefly addressed the current Wolfe City Softball Team, who stood nearby as part of the program while awaiting their first pitch.
The speakers spoke of a well-loved coach and teacher, fully deserving of the honor of the day, and challenged the current athletes, coaches, school administrators and board attendees to hold fast to and carry forward the proud traditions Thomas brought about in his three decades with Wolfe City.
