As Thomas Hubbard steps onto the field he stays concentrated on his job and thinks about the plays and what he has to do. Thomas also thinks about his reads for pass plays and what he would do in certain situations.
Thomas joined his first football team because he loved watching the game on the tv and he wanted to be one of the guys on the tv playing the game one day.
Oak Park’s playmaker thinks the best part about being a quarterback is being able to be a leader, and being able to throw the ball and pull-apart an opposing defense.
Thomas’ favourite professional quarterback is Peyton Manning. “Peyton Manning is by far the best QB to walk the earth,” he said. “He (Manning) has been a long-time favourite, the way he worked with his offence and the way he played made him a big role model for me when starting football.”
When Thomas has a bit of spare time he enjoys working out or playing rugby. Thomas plays for Oak Park’s rugby 7s team and also Team Manitoba. He enjoys fishing and hunting, or hanging out with his friends as well.
Thomas’ teammates think his bleached hair (temporary) for rugby is cool.
2019 will be Thomas’ final year at Oak Park. His plans are to win a championship in his senior year with his team. After that, his dream is to earn a scholarship and play university level football.
Thomas plans on going to university and landing a job within the sciences. He is still trying to figure out exactly which job he wants to pursue.
The young quarterback has been trying to improve his lower body mechanics, speed, footwork and consistency. “I’ve also been working on my mental game, making my reads quicker and reading the defense,” Thomas replied. Thomas has been working out with weights and doing ladders drills, and he has worked on run form to improve these aspects of his game.
Throughout the offseason Thomas weight trains 3-4 days a week and does speed training 1-2 days a week. He will go to as many development camps as he can. Thomas also went to the Winnipeg Rifles rookie camp/spring camp this year to get reps with a faster more developed team to help with his senior year.
This year Thomas has hit two new personal bests in a couple of his lifts. In squat Thomas reached 305 pounds and on the bench Thomas achieved 205 pounds.
Thomas’ parents and grandparents have helped him throughout his football career. They have always been positive and kept him going through the years. They’ve driven Thomas to camps and practices and have paid for workouts and camps so that he can pursue his dream and do what he loves to do.
Over the years Thomas has had many coaches that have helped shape him to be the quarterback that he is today. Coach Dale Sands coached Thomas when he was with the Grenadiers in grade 9. Coach Sands helped Thomas learn how to read a defence and he taught Thomas proper footwork for a quarterback. Coach Jeff McDougall was Thomas’ first football coach. McDougall believed that Thomas could be a quarterback. Thomas started his football career with Coach McDougall teaching him what it was like at the quarterback position. Coach Geoff Calder has helped Thomas’ mechanics. Coach Calder taught Thomas to stay calm in the pocket and to do his job. Coach Aaron Geisbrecht helped Thomas learn how to play in higher level football. Coach Giesbrecht also helped with Thomas’ footwork, base stands and throwing mechanics.
Thomas would like recruiters to know that his attitude on and off the field is positive. He is always looking for constructive criticism and things he needs to work on to make him the best quarterback he can be. “I’m a very committed player and a Student Athlete,” he said. “I take school very seriously. My marks are predominantly high 80s and low 90s. I will find time for both school and football as first priorities. I am working toward an academic scholarship as much as I am a football scholarship and I am prepared to work very hard on whatever I need to do for it.
CFCFPC QB – Thomas Hubbard, Freshman East
Thomas Hubbard
Positions: Quarterback
Height/Weight: 5’9, 160 lbs
Teams: Oak Park Raiders (WHSFL), Trenton Kiwanis Tigers, Kingston Grenadiers, Trenton High School Tigers
Instagram: @thomas_hubbard_3
Twitter: @ThomasH68581966
Graduating Year: 2020
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