Coaching in four NCAA women's soccer tournaments is just a small fraction of the success that new head coach Michael Thomas brings to Buffalo.
Thomas fills the void left by Jean-A Tassey, who retired at the end of last season following 13 years on the Bulls' sidelines. While many Bulls learned invaluable lessons from Tassey, Thomas hopes to be able to inspire the team in his own way.
"Anytime that you're around success, you learn and gain new ideas," Thomas said. "I'm hoping as a coach to be able to pass along those ideas."
Thomas hopes to teach not only how to win, but also a winning attitude. According to Thomas, one of his best qualities as a coach is probably his competitive nature.
"You're not going to coach for the money, not going to do it for the light hours. You need to want to win," he said. "You need to have a competitive nature and passion that's going to come through to the players."
Thomas cites his days as a soccer player at Fort Lewis College as helping him develop him into a successful coach.
At Fort Lewis, Thomas was part of the men's soccer team that won three Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships.
According to Thomas, the team he played on was very gifted, although he "wasn't necessarily the most talented player on the team."
It was because of this that he had to pick up every little tip, trick and hint that he was given along the way, so he could keep up with his teammates.
"If I can impart on players with more natural talent what I've learned, I feel like I'll be able to assist them in getting to the next level," Thomas said.
This is the true makeup of a coach: he wishes to give all of his knowledge to his players, without thinking about it for a second.
After his days at Fort Lewis, Thomas was a professional soccer player during the 1998-1999 season with the Myrtle Beach Sea Dawgs of the United Soccer League, playing in the league again in 2000. He feels that his years of experience on the field makes him a better coach, a better player and even a better person.
Life isn't all about soccer for Thomas, though it does take up most of his time. Off the soccer field, Thomas has one hobby that many do not know about that he has been doing since a very young age.
Skiing is his true passion, one that he has enjoyed since he was three or four years old. Thomas stated that if he couldn't play or coach soccer anymore, he'd probably be up in the mountains teaching skiing.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
