2008 Woodie Awards
Not enough wins leads to one big loss
Ken Woods
Issue date: 3/19/08 Section: Sports
Western Illinois and former men's basketball coach Derek Thomas agreed to part ways after Athletics Director Tim Van Alstine announced March 11 that Thomas' contract would not be renewed. Thomas formally resigned later that afternoon.
While Thomas' 40-104 record in no way spells success, it also does not define his tenure at Western. Some say the Leathernecks were in a volatile state before Thomas took over, and his work with the team has turned things around.
"I completely agree, 100 percent, that the program is in a better state than when he came," Van Alstine said. "I give him credit. He came into a very difficult situation; there wasn't much here, and he left it better than he found it."
Thomas not only affected the program in a positive way but also the student-athletes under his tutelage. In the last year of his tenure, his players had the highest overall GPA of any men's basketball team before them.
Thomas made a substantial impact on senior guard David Jackson. Thomas recruited Jackson, who arrived at the program one year after Thomas took the reins.
The graduating senior said Thomas helped him transition to the collegiate game by having intense practices, improving his shooting through great drills and mentoring his development off the court by promoting achievement in the classroom. He is the only current four-year player on the roster.
"We have a good relationship," Jackson said. "He is not just a coach; he is a good guy. We had our differences my freshman and sophomore years, but he said if anybody on the team needs anything, no matter how old we are, that he will be there."
Thomas' character has rarely come into question. He has made positive strides in the Macomb community as well as the Western campus.
"From a personality standpoint he was a great guy, great person and great family man," Van Alstine said. "He did a lot of good things for us; he motivated our players to be positive and do all the things you want student-athletes to do in the classroom and in the community."
While Thomas' 40-104 record in no way spells success, it also does not define his tenure at Western. Some say the Leathernecks were in a volatile state before Thomas took over, and his work with the team has turned things around.
"I completely agree, 100 percent, that the program is in a better state than when he came," Van Alstine said. "I give him credit. He came into a very difficult situation; there wasn't much here, and he left it better than he found it."
Thomas not only affected the program in a positive way but also the student-athletes under his tutelage. In the last year of his tenure, his players had the highest overall GPA of any men's basketball team before them.
Thomas made a substantial impact on senior guard David Jackson. Thomas recruited Jackson, who arrived at the program one year after Thomas took the reins.
The graduating senior said Thomas helped him transition to the collegiate game by having intense practices, improving his shooting through great drills and mentoring his development off the court by promoting achievement in the classroom. He is the only current four-year player on the roster.
"We have a good relationship," Jackson said. "He is not just a coach; he is a good guy. We had our differences my freshman and sophomore years, but he said if anybody on the team needs anything, no matter how old we are, that he will be there."
Thomas' character has rarely come into question. He has made positive strides in the Macomb community as well as the Western campus.
"From a personality standpoint he was a great guy, great person and great family man," Van Alstine said. "He did a lot of good things for us; he motivated our players to be positive and do all the things you want student-athletes to do in the classroom and in the community."
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