Thomas comes to Lookout with eight years of high school sports reporting in California under his belt.
Covering sports in Santa Cruz County has been a dream of his since he was a student at Cabrillo College in 2014, and then in learning the ropes at the Register-Pajaronian for two years as a prep sports writer.
“There is a certain magic about high school sports in Santa Cruz, and you can feel it whether it’s on a football sideline, in the gym or on the golf course,” he says.
After graduating from Cabrillo, Thomas used his experience covering sports in Santa Cruz County to become the men’s and women’s basketball, gymnastics and volleyball beat writer at Sacramento State University, a Division I program.
As news editor of The State Hornet, the college’s student newspaper, he earned an internship at the Sacramento Bee. Thomas mostly covered high school football, but also covered UC Davis women’s basketball during its run to the 2019 NCAA tournament.
After graduating, he spent three years at the Mountain Democrat in El Dorado County, mostly covering news, including the Caldor fire, which burned more than 200,000 acres and destroyed more than 100 structures.
“Covering the Caldor fire really showed me how important local news is,” said Thomas, who also photographed the blaze. “Every day evacuees were reaching out to us to find out what was going on in their area. It was truly eye-opening.”
Now he’s glad to be back where his career began. Thomas is excited to be covering all the county’s schools: Aptos High School, Harbor High School, Monte Vista Christian School, Mount Madonna School, Pajaro Valley High School, San Lorenzo Valley High School, Santa Cruz High School, Scotts Valley High School, Soquel High School, St. Francis High School and Watsonville High School.
“My goal has always been to give every school and athlete the coverage they deserve,” Thomas said. “Whether it’s a section champion or a team without a win, there is always a story to be told.”
For stories or tips, please email thomas@lookoutlocal.com.
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