Ed Thomas: Iowa Time Machine June 24, 2009

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On June 24, 2009, legendary Aplington-Parkersburg high school football coach Ed Thomas was murdered by a former student. Thomas, a two-time state championship coach, is perhaps better remembered for his integrity and influence on generations of students than anything ever accomplished on the field.

Born in Oskaloosa in 1950, Thomas grew up primarily in What Cheer. Thomas played quarterback at Tri-County HS in Thornburg before attending William Penn University and the University of Northern Iowa. Thomas built an Iowa high school football powerhouse after finding a job teaching and coaching the Aplington-Parkersburg Falcons.

Over the course of 37 seasons, Thomas led the Falcons to two state championships and 292 total wins. During Thomas's tenure as head coach, the Falcons sent five players on to the NFL. In 2005, Thomas won the prestigious NFL High School Coach of the Year Award.

When a massive EF5 tornado struck in May 2008, Thomas helped rally the community. His team worked to ensure the stadium would be ready for the following season, and the community came together to celebrate recovery. Thomas’s murder in 2009 deeply shook the small towns of Aplington and Parkersburg. #IowaOTD #IowaHistoryDaily #IowaHistoryCalendar