Throughout his 29 years at Nemaha Valley and now Nemaha Central, Thunder track and field coach Jon Thomas has achieved some of the highest levels of success.

Thomas set the bar even higher this past season and because of that, Wednesday he was named the Kansas Coaches Association Girls Coach of the Year throughout all classes.

Thomas is coming off yet another championship season with the Thunder girls, as two weeks ago behind four state champions Nemaha Central claimed a third consecutive 3A State Championship.

In his 24th year as the head track and field coach Thomas saw senior Jacy Dalinghaus win three state titles in Wichita as she swept throwing events at state taking first in the javelin for the second straight year while also winning the shot put and discus. Along with Dalinghaus, the Thunder also had junior Alleigh Kramer take the top spot in the 200-meter dash.

Those four championships give Coach Thomas 29 event champions in his coaching career and 22 while being the head coach.

He has also personally coached six event champions including two boys 4 by 800-meter relays and one 4 by 100-meter relay, two 100-meter dash champions and one 200-meter dash champion.

Along his decorated career as the boys head basketball coach, Jon Thomas has now fully cemented his spot as one of the best track and field coaches in Kansas history.