Ryan Thomas has been hired by Ashwaubenon High School to lead the WIAA boys hockey team this winter after the resignation of Coach Jay Boxer. Thomas, a former Appleton United assistant coach, is owner and operator of TotalHockey of Northeast Wisconsin, which is housed at the Cornerstone Ice Center, home of the Ashwaubenon Jaguars hockey team.
Thomas has coached at many different age levels, including the co-op Appleton School District United team. He has coached in the Wisconsin Elite League, as well as the AAA midget minor and midget major programs for the Green Bay Jr. Gamblers. He has also volunteered his time with various camps and clinics at the mite thru Bantam levels.
Coach Thomas, a native of Minnesota, grew up in Eveleth, MN, home of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. Since his early days as a mite player thru high school, he has been coached and surrounded by great hockey players and great hockey minds.
He was captain of his high school team his senior year. At Eveleth High School he received the prestigious Dan O’Laughlin award, which is awarded to the most valuable player. He also was voted to the all area hockey team his senior year.
After high school his playing career then took him to the USHL, where he skated for the Waterloo Black Hawks for two seasons. Playing two seasons in the best junior league in the U.S. was a tremendous learning experience, again learning from great coaching and playing with and against future NHL players. Thomas also played juniors for the Pikes Peak Miners in the AFHL, which is now the current, NAHL. While on this team, he was named captain and also played in the league's annual All-Star game.
After juniors, Thomas played four seasons for the University Wisconsin at Eau Claire (NCHA Div. III). At UW-Eau Claire, he received the Wallace G. Akervik (Top Freshmen Award) and the Jeff Jaraczewski (Team MVP Award). He twice received all WIAC honors and twice received all NCHA honors. His senior year he was named captained of the Blugolds by his teammates and coaches. Thomas' name is still in the top ten in scoring at Eau Claire with 56 goals, 64 assists for 120 points in a 100 games. He also still holds the record for most career shorthanded goals with 9, most goals in a game with 4, most hat tricks in a season with 3.
