Sarah Thomas (American football official)
Encyclopedia
Sarah Thomas is a college football
official
who became the first woman to officiate a bowl game
when she worked as a line judge during the 2009 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl
between Marshall
and Ohio. Later (in 2011) she became the first woman to officiate in a Big Ten stadium when Northwestern hosted Rice on November 12th.
, Conference USA
's coordinator of officials and a former NFL official, invited her to an officials' camp. Austin was impressed with her skills and hired her for the Conference USA staff. In 2007, Thomas became the first woman to officiate a major college football game, working a game between Memphis
and Jacksonville State
. Before that game, Austin said, "She came highly recommended by two NFL scouts. She has a good presence and demeanor. I feel like she has the ability and courage to make a call, and the guts to not make one, too."
As of 2009, she was one of five female officials in major college football and the only one at the Football Bowl Subdivision level. She is also listed as a prospective candidate for officials in the National Football League
and has worked New Orleans Saints
scrimmages. She also officiates United Football League games, and in 2010 worked the league championship game
.
, where she lettered five times in softball. She attended the University of Mobile
on a basketball scholarship and was an academic all-American.
Thomas resides in Brandon, Mississippi
and is married with two children. She works as a pharmaceutical sales representative.
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
official
Official (American football)
In American football, an official is a person who has responsibility in enforcing the rules and maintaining the order of the game.During professional and college football games, seven officials operate on the field...
who became the first woman to officiate a bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
when she worked as a line judge during the 2009 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl
2009 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl
The 2009 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl was a National Collegiate Athletic Association bowl game played at 1:00 PM EST on December 26, 2009 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan and aired on ESPN....
between Marshall
Marshall University
Marshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States....
and Ohio. Later (in 2011) she became the first woman to officiate in a Big Ten stadium when Northwestern hosted Rice on November 12th.
Early years
Thomas began her officiating career in 1996, when she attended a meeting of the Gulf Coast Football Officials Association. She worked her first varsity high school game in 1999.Conference USA
In 2006, Gerry AustinGerald Austin
Dr. Gerald "Gerry" Austin is a retired American football official, who worked in the National Football League from the 1982 season through the 2007 season. He wore uniform number 34, which is now worn by Clete Blakeman. Austin has officiated in three Super Bowls, one as a side judge and two as a...
, Conference USA
Conference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...
's coordinator of officials and a former NFL official, invited her to an officials' camp. Austin was impressed with her skills and hired her for the Conference USA staff. In 2007, Thomas became the first woman to officiate a major college football game, working a game between Memphis
University of Memphis
The University of Memphis is an American public research university located in the Normal Station neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee and is the flagship public research university of the Tennessee Board of Regents system....
and Jacksonville State
Jacksonville State University
Jacksonville State University is a regional public coeducational university located in Jacksonville, Alabama, USA. Founded in 1883, Jacksonville State offers programs of study in four academic units leading to Bachelor's, Master's, and Education Specialist degrees, in addition to continuing and...
. Before that game, Austin said, "She came highly recommended by two NFL scouts. She has a good presence and demeanor. I feel like she has the ability and courage to make a call, and the guts to not make one, too."
2009 season, bowl-game breakthrough
By the 2009 season, she was assigned to a crew and working a full schedule of 11 games. At the end of the season, she was selected to work the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, making her the first woman to officiate a bowl game. Regarding her presence, game MVP Martin Ward, Marshall running back, said "I noticed her before the game, but that was it. Once the game started, she was just doing the job that the line judge does in every game we play. It didn’t matter that she was a woman at all."As of 2009, she was one of five female officials in major college football and the only one at the Football Bowl Subdivision level. She is also listed as a prospective candidate for officials in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
and has worked New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
scrimmages. She also officiates United Football League games, and in 2010 worked the league championship game
2010 UFL Championship Game
The 2010 UFL Championship Game was the concluding game of the United Football League's 2010 season. The game was staged at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Nebraska on Saturday, November 27, 2010, and saw the Las Vegas Locomotives repeat as league champions, defeating the Florida Tuskers by a...
.
Personal life
Thomas was born in 1973 in Mississippi. She attended Pascagoula High SchoolPascagoula School District
The Pascagoula School District is a public school district based in Pascagoula, Mississippi .In addition to Pascagoula, the district also serves the city of Gautier as well as the community of Hickory Hills.-High schools:...
, where she lettered five times in softball. She attended the University of Mobile
University of Mobile
The University of Mobile is an American four-year, private, Baptist-affiliated university in Mobile, Alabama. The master's-level university has an enrollment of 1,577.-History:...
on a basketball scholarship and was an academic all-American.
Thomas resides in Brandon, Mississippi
Brandon, Mississippi
Brandon is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 16,436 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Rankin CountyBrandon is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
and is married with two children. She works as a pharmaceutical sales representative.