LESAProject

The town of Parkersburg, Iowa has been through a lot in the last 13 months. On May 25 of last year, an EF5 tornado three-quarters of a mile wide, packing winds in excess of 200 MPH, destroyed the community of 1,900. Just three months later, the well-known Aplington-Parkersburg high school football team was back on the field, led by coach Ed Thomas. Thomas played an integral part in rebuilding not only the football team, but also the entire town after the disaster. His contributions on and off the field made him a star role model, beloved across the entire state of Iowa. On Wednesday, Parkersburg's ...

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a sports fanatic—football in particular. Every Sunday morning growing up I'd wake up, dress myself in my bright red Kansas City Chiefs attire, and sit in front of the television with my dad. Even after I moved away from home to attend college, I would still drive back almost every weekend to be with my dad and the big-screen on Sundays. Sunday football binges soon turned into daily conversations, which eventually led to the life I lead now. Not until just recently did I realize that sports have become such a big part ...