Thomas wins National Coach of the Year Award

This article first appeared in The Sand Mountain Reporter.

INDIANAPOLIS — AHSAA veteran swimming coach Dusty Thomas is one among 24 high school coaches from across the country who have been selected as 2023-24 National Coaches of the Year by the NFHS Coaches Association.

The NFHS, which has been recognizing coaches through an awards program since 1982, honors coaches in the top 10 girls’ sports and top 10 boys’ sports (by participation numbers), and in two “other” sports – one for boys and one for girls – that are not included in the top 10 listings.

The NFHS also recognizes a spirit coach and an Adapted/Allied/Unified coach in separate award categories. Winners of NFHS awards must be active coaches during the year for which they receive their award. This year’s awards recognize coaches for the 2023-24 school year.

Thomas led Boaz High School to the Class 1A-5A state boys’ championship in 2023. His boys’ team also won the state title in 2022 and tied with T.R. Miller for the 1A-5A stare crown in 2018.

A graduate of Boaz High School who spent 13 years working with the Pirates’ swimming and diving program, he left Boaz after the 2023 season to become the head swimming coach at Albertville High School.

In just nine years as boy’s swimming and diving coach at Boaz High School, Thomas led his teams to three AHSAA Class 1A-5A state championships, including 2023. In that time, Boaz’s teams have also won six North Alabama Sectional Championships, captured first place in 15 invitationals and compiled a 35-4 dual-meet record.

Thomas also coaches the school’s girls’ swimming and diving program and guided the team to a runner-up finish in the North Alabama Sectional Championships in 2023.

At various points in his career, Thomas has also coached boys’ basketball and football at the middle school and high school levels. He was recognized by the Boaz City Schools Board of Education and Boaz Mayor David Dyar for his success and was named a Boaz “Super Citizen” in 2020. In 2021, USA Today honored Boaz as the Men’s Swimming and Diving Team of the Year.

“Coach Thomas instilled in his kids, along with Coach Patrick Williams, a strong work ethic,” said Marvin Chou, former AHSAA Director of Swimming and Diving.

“His swimmers and divers did not back down from challenges when they swam against 1A-5A schools or 6A-7A schools. They have been competing for championships since we divided the classifications, and Boaz’s program will continue to strive for excellence.”