Ed Thomas practiced the lessons he preached – pride and teamwork [Video]

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – Brad Meester is one of hundreds of Ed Thomas disciples. Now the head coach at Mount Vernon, he passes on Thomas’ lessons.

“(He impacted) everybody in that school (and) surrounding areas, just the way he conducted himself,” Meester said. “The lessons that he taught with pride, hard work and teamwork. Those are things that stuck with me forever.”

Waverly-Shell Rock head coach mark Hubbard does the same.

“When I got here (to Waverly-Shell Rock) in 2007, I told our seniors that I don’t care where you live someday, or what kind of car you drive, or what kind of house you have,” Hubbard said. “Your yard better be mowed, wash your car, paint the fence, and do everything you can with what you have.”

But in 2008, Thomas and his Parkersburg community lost what they had – almost everything. An EF5 tornado devastated Butler county.

Thomas not only lost is first home, he lost …