A trip to the barbershop at age five ignited Amare Thomas’s passion for football, despite his father’s initial hopes for a different path. Wayne Thomas, a former professional football player himself, eventually fostered his son’s talent, providing fundamental training in their backyard. Now, Amare Thomas is a key receiver for the University of Houston.
Wayne Thomas initially envisioned a future in engineering or baseball for his son, not football. However, while getting a haircut, Amare observed children playing tackle football with a sock. “Dad, I want to play football,” Amare said, sparking a change of heart in his father. After repeated insistence from Amare, Wayne relented, recognizing his son’s seriousness and intelligence. “I could see he was always way ahead of his time,” Wayne said.
Wayne began training Amare in the family’s backyard, using everyday objects as training tools. A bucket served as the nose tackle, garbage cans as defensive linemen, and items like a rake, shovel, and flower pot each presented a different learning opportunity. Wayne taught Amare every position on the field, explaining the reasoning behind each role. “He’s really, really smart. He grasped things really, really fast,” Wayne said. Amare confirmed, “He definitely built the foundation.”
Though hesitant at first due to concerns about the longevity of a football career, Wayne, a decorated wide receiver at Miles College and veteran of the Canadian and Arena Football Leagues, quickly recognized Amare’s talent. By age six, Amare could throw a ball “20 yards with a dart.” On the first day of practice, Wayne asked his son, missing a couple of front teeth, “How many touchdowns are you going to score this year?” After Amare pondered, Wayne suggested “Thirty? Forty?” to which Amare confidently replied, “Forty.”
In his first season at age five, Amare scored 50 touchdowns, often against older players, and 60 touchdowns by age ten, winning youth championships. Wayne said, “It’s just something special that’s going to come with you.”
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