Former Salmen star wants local stars to support each other
By KEVIN CHIRI
Slidell news bureau
SLIDELL – Chris Thomas remembers the “good old days” at Salmen High School when the Spartans were viewed among the best in the state. But along with the championships that were coming their way was the camaraderie among local football players who had pride in being from Slidell, and the leadership the older players provided to young kids like himself in his early prep days.
Thomas is 20 years past his playing days for the Spartans but has remained very connected to the Slidell high school sports scene and has watched a trend for more than 10 years that concerns him—and it’s something he hopes to change.
“We’ve got so many good athletes in Slidell at the different schools, and on the entire North Shore,” he said. “But I see many of the best going to schools in New Orleans since those teams come over here and recruit. It’s leading to a lot of great players leaving here, and that leaves a void in good role models for younger kids.”
Thomas is 40 years old now, and was among those top players during his days at Salmen. After making all-state as a running back, he played college football on scholarship for McNeese State University.
When he returned to Slidell he was immediately caught up in the same football world here that he went through, starting with the Slidell Youth Football Association (SYFA), and then his junior high and high school teams.
When his sister had twin boys he stepped up to help guide his nephews, and quickly watched how they followed in his footsteps after hearing about his success.
But Thomas thinks that leadership from proven players is lacking for many young players today, and the recognition they need locally is missing at Slidell schools. That is why he founded Area 22, a non-profit organization that seeks to “Recognize, Reward and Educate” the local players.
“I hope the attention we provide for them will make them stay here,” he said. “We’ve got so many outstanding Slidell-area players that we could have state championship teams here like Salmen did years ago. But we need more role models who encourage them to stick with their local schools.”
Thomas kicked off the first year of Area 22 with an awards reception where 22 of the best high school players on the North Shore were recognized. He hopes it will be the beginning of something that grows each year, and it includes more than just football players, as well as young boys and girls.
“As we get more kids to consider staying and playing here, it will create role models for younger players, and they will also want to stay here,” Thomas explained. “I know that when I was young I looked up to the older kids, especially the really good ones, so when we keep the top talent in Slidell where they should be, it will encourage younger players to do the same thing.”
Thomas thought the best way to start doing that was to recognize local players, which is what he did at the awards event.
“It was a way to show Area 22 is a legitimate organization,” he said. “We will do it every year now at the end of the football season.”
After he finished college and returned to Slidell to get a job at Folgers, besides starting his own lawn service business, Thomas is one young man who did more than start coaching in the local little league groups and at church league basketball. But when he saw the situation of top players leaving for the South Shore he wanted to change it.
“It really bothered me when I heard kids saying they were going to play here or there at different high schools,” he said. “I was thinking, ‘why not stay here?’ We’ve got some great schools and coaches right here, and if all our players stayed here, we would have some awesome high school teams.”
“The more I have watched the situation, the more I thought that I had to do something to try and change it,” he said. “I know it won’t happen overnight, but we have to start reaching out to these kids to get them to stay here, and be role models for the younger players.”
Thomas is hopeful that the more players begin recognizing the selections to the Area 22 team each year—considered the best in St. Tammany Parish—it will encourage others to want to make the team as well.
“I already saw the interest from the first year,” he said. “I could see kids wanted to be picked as the North Shore best players. Each year I think it will get bigger.”
Anyone who would like to get more information or get involved in Area 22 can call Thomas at 985-402-5128.