MIKE THOMAS JOINS THE REGINA THUNDER STAFF

Even with a coaching change, the Regina Thunder’s receiving corps will be left in good hands.
Former University of Regina Rams standout Mike Thomas is joining the Thunder staff this season, replacing Sean Reader as the Prairie Football Conference team’s receivers coach.

Source: www.leaderpost.com/sports/Thomas+joins+Thunder/2727689/story.html
Regina The Leader-Post

By Craig Slater

“It should be an easy switch from Shawn to me because I have worked with him at several Thunder mini-camps and indoor workouts in the past,” Thomas said. “I have a good feel for the team, the coaches and the organization.

“I don’t think it will be any different other than I think I might be a little more vocal than what Shawn was.”

Reader’s wife recently accepted a job promotion within the RCMP that will move the family to Edmonton in April.

Thunder head coach Erwin Klempner wasted little time in approaching Thomas about the vacancy.

“We’re going to miss Shawn … but we’re happy to have Mike come aboard,” Klempner said. “Mike brings a lot of experience to the staff and we feel he will teach our kids a lot.”

Thomas played three seasons with the Rams when they were a part of the PFC, and played four more years with the Rams after they joined the CIS in 1999.

“I’ve been a part of some Canadian championships at the junior ranks and was a part of the team that went to the Vanier Cup (in 2000),” Thomas recalled. “It’s nice to be able to give back and help out the football community that helped me for so many years.”

Thomas got his feet wet coaching high school football at Campbell Collegiate when he was still playing for the Rams. He also served as an assistant coach within the Regina Minor Football ranks. The last three years he has been coaching at Winston Knoll Collegiate, in addition to working with the offensive co-ordinators of Football Saskatchewan’s under-17 and under-19 programs. Thomas serves as the technical director for Football Saskatchewan.

“No matter what you do in life, you always want to challenge yourself to do something bigger,” he said. “When you’re a ground-level employee you want to move up to something bigger. I think you can look at it that way from the coaching ranks, too. This is another opportunity to move up that coaching ladder.”

He anticipates healthy competition among veteran Thunder receivers like Jay Smith, Kolten Solomon, Jonathan Probe and Johnny Ottaviano when main camp opens later this summer.

“I look forward to the challenges that these guys are going to bring day in, day out,” Thomas said. “They’re going to have to fight for their spots because nothing is guaranteed.

“We’re starting from scratch. They’ve been moving up and down on the depth chart, but when you have a new coach I think that will make them work a little bit harder to impress.”

Thunder vets and high school graduates are expected to attend the first indoor workout on Saturday, slated to go from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Credit Union EventPlex.

“It’ll give the kids an opportunity to see where they might fit in or where they would stand within the team structure,” Thomas said. “I’m looking forward to getting back into the football swing of things.”

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