I was born and raised in Dallas, Texas until the age of five when we moved to my mom's hometown of Los Angeles. We settled in Pacific Palisades, a small town nestled between the Pacific Ocean and Santa Monica mountains that was recently destroyed by the horrific L.A. fires.
From a young age, I have been dedicated to my passions: football, skiing, my community, and cultivating my entrepreneurial spirit. Yet, it is football that has captivated my heart from the beginning. Early on, not a day went by that I didn't have a football in my hand. I studied the game intently on my free time: writing out plays, analyzing player stats, observing coaching styles, and taking snippets of leadership qualities from my favorite quarterbacks.
I played quarterback in the local youth league from ages 3-12. At thirteen, I joined Rampage, an inner city tackle football league subsidized by Snoop Dogg. I was the backup quarterback and the only Caucasian. This was a national travel football team that won several accolades, but it was so much more than that. It was a life changing experience and one that shaped who I am as a player, teammate, and leader forever.
In high school, I was the starting quarterback for the Loyola High School freshman team, and led the team to an undefeated season--first time in 44 years. I received the team MVP award and was moved up to varsity for sophomore year. Unfortunately, sophomore year was an incredibly challenging year with many setbacks, heartaches and disappointments. I had to make the very difficult decision to leave a school I loved for the opportunity to lead a varsity team to victory. I transferred to Palisades Charter High School junior year, where I competed for and won the starting quarterback position. I led the 2024 team to a successful season, and for the first time ever, PCHS made it to the L.A. City League D1 CIF Championship game! Since the fires, our team has been faced with many challenges. Labeled "the nomads," without a field, we continue to push through the obstacles. Now ranked #3 in the LA City Section out of 72 teams, we are positioned to be placed in the open division playoffs.
Although I grew up in Dallas and Los Angeles, I spent time visiting family in Guatemala. I speak conversational Spanish and continue to work towards fluency in the language through school and outside academic resources. However, it is my exposure at a young age to life in the global world that has been instrumental in developing a sense of responsibility to do good for my community, and to be appreciative for my blessings.
I am a current board member of Level Up Los Angeles that supports two inner city elementary schools. I am a top chef volunteer at Alexandria House, where I cook and serve dinner at a transitional home for women and children. I have also been a lector at my parish, Corpus Christi Catholic Church, which began shortly after the pandemic restrictions were lifted. Around the same time, I started a youth coaching business to keep young kids engaged, and to foster their interest in sports. I still have this business today with a focus on high school athletes looking to perfect their quarterback skills, and increase their strength and conditioning.
My journey has taken many twists and turns, but it has made me who I am today. I am thankful for my family's and community's unconditional love and support. Their guidance has been invaluable, and for that I will always be grateful.
- Jack Thomas
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