When it came time to christen a new high school baseball field, Coach Nate McCabe honored a foundational figure in Papillion-La Vista High School’s baseball history with the Jim Thomas Invite.
“People like him need to be recognized now more than ever,” says McCabe. “It was time for the man to be honored. Positive role models need to be put out in front of the community.”
The tournament came about from the new turf field the Monarchs called home and the desire to let seniors get as many games on the new field as possible. The result was a second spring tournament beyond the traditional Monarch Invite.
“Then it rolled around to what are we going to call it,” says McCabe, “And I said, ‘We’ll call it the Jim Thomas Invite.’”
Jim Thomas had previously coached for the Monarchs for 39 years, including coaching over McCabe as a student player and when McCabe served as an assistant coach.
“I’ll find myself saying, ‘Coach Thomas used to do this,’” says McCabe. “If I’m a tenth of the coach he was, then I’m going to be successful.’”
This desire to honor his and many other players' former coach was so strong that McCabe joked about not giving Thomas much of a choice.
"We got the chance to applaud him for the work he's done over the years."
Thomas was recognized at home plate before the tournament and sat in the dugout for four innings. McCabe said the 76-year-old “had not skipped a beat” in coaching. The former coach also had the opportunity to speak to the Monarch players directly.
"I felt like a teenager again, listening to him talk," McCabe says. "Everything he said still applies today."
As for his own part, Thomas says he feels very honored, but said the honor should be shared with the many people who helped and supported him along the way.
“I’ve had a very understanding wife and family to let me go out and play with my balls and bats," says Thomas. "I thank them for putting up with 40 years of that kind of stuff.”
Crediting players, assistant coaches, volunteers, athletic directors, and his family members, Thomas said it was a group effort to allow him and his teams to succeed on and off the field.
"I had a bunch of people who just really came to my aid and helped with kids. That's my whole deal: helping kids!" Thomas says, adding that coaching baseball was as much about preparing players as it was preparing students for the rest of their lives.
“I can’t put into words how lucky I’ve been,” says Thomas. “It’s been an unbelievably fun ride.”
The honors continued when the Monarchs won the tournament in the final game against Bellevue West.
"Coach McCabe did a great job being prepared to play a really good Bellevue West team," says Thomas, adding it was quite an accomplishment.
"That was another nugget I got to use for the kids," says McCabe. "This is the Jim Thomas Invite—we want to keep this plaque!"
And his team delivered, McCabe says, offering another way to honor a man who did so much to build up the Monarchs’ baseball team.
"He made a difference in my life," says McCabe. "Obviously, this win meant a lot."