Family Games

By Jenna Cederberg / Leader Staff

As Kayla Thomas sent another ace over to the net and sealed a 3-0 win over Victor for her team, her family on the court celebrates its sixth win in a row, and her family at the top of the bleachers watch their sister, daughter and aunt keep tradition alive.

There's been a Thomas on the Arlee rosters playing for one team or another for several decades. Kayla's leading stats as a senior hitter on the Scarlets volleyball team have her following in many sets of footprints.

"It's a big part of my life, I'm a Thomas. We all kind of have this motto, we have to be good at sports. My uncles and my mom were really good athletes, my brothers were really good too," Kayla said.

Kayla's mom, uncles and cousins made names for themselves on the courts and fields before her brothers Kyle and Kale came through the system. Kyle competed in basketball, football and eventually ran track at Dickinson State University in Dickinson, N.D. Kale graduated in 2005 after a successful career as a Warrior football player. Together they have been two of the main influences in Kayla's prep career.

"We come from a really sports oriented family," Kyle said.

Kyle is eight years older and graduated from Arlee High School in 2001. He recently moved back to Missoula but still makes it to most volleyball games. Last year, with the help of their mom, Kyle started the Sunshine Crew to act as Kayla's own private cheering section. Kyle, their mom, two cousins and three of Kyle's best friends who all work together make up the group and have already ordered shirts with nicknames printed on them so they'll be ready to cheer the Scarlets on at Divisionals in Butte, and all the way to State.

Kayla also got Kyle's support in honing her volleyball skills.

"I played with my brother Kyle in summer (volleyball) league in Missoula, and I wasn't very good my sophomore year, because I broke my collar bone. Summer league helped me a lot … you kind of had to step it up," Kayla said.

Her hustle in the back row complements her presence up front, where she consistently scores points for the team by dropping kills through and around opponents' defenses. Kayla routinely leads the team on the offensive stat sheet, and is the No. 2 hitter behind junior Jordan Pfau. In the game against Victor, she had eight aces and has been called the "stitch that holds the team together" by Arlee head coach Lonnie Morin. The undefeated Scarlets are focused directly on winning their division and keeping focused for State. The team was one win away from going last year.

"I hope we go undefeated all year," Kayla said. " We have to practice like we play."

Most of her brothers' sports-related encouragement and advice has also translated into successes off the field.

Kayla's teammate and fellow senior Veronica Nelson talks about the love and trust she has for someone she's gone to school with since head start.

"I trust her a lot on the court, and off," Nelson said.

Kayla likens freshman setter Cortney Dix to a "sister" and has used the example her brothers set to take on a kind of mentor role for the younger players, completely the family feel on and off the court.

"It helps her out a lot (to have leadership), she can get down on herself, but we help keep each other up," Kayla said of Dix. "We're always together.

"You have to get along with everyone and you have to be responsible for the team. And find the best interest of the team. Whenever someone messes up you can't be mad at them," she said. "You have to keep everyone up ad you have to play well because that's what a captain should do. We all have good individual skills. Put together it's more outstanding."

Nelson also said Kayla is known as a vocal leader in their class, and both Kyle and Kale see a well-rounded sisters getting ready to graduate and go into the world.

"It's hard, you're constantly asked to be a role model," Kyle said. "She's just turned into a great young woman. It's hard to see her at this level. I always see her as a little girl."

Although Kayla talks readily about her brothers influence as positive role models in the her life, they're still "protective" brothers who wouldn't let her play football like she wanted. Instead, she got into rugby with friends, playing with the club team at University of Montana and now hopes to pursue more opportunities in that contact sport after high school.

As she looks to a future in rugby, Kayla isn't sure what else she'll pursue after high school. Kale now brings his daughter 19-month-old Maeleigh, the next generation of Thomas athletes, to Kayla's games, and hopes his little sister is enjoying the moment.

"I wanted to be a role model because (high school sports) is a once in a lifetime opportunity," he said. "I didn't want her to look bad and regret not playing."

Cooking breakfasts for the football team and leading pep rallies, Kayla plans on enjoying her last homecoming this week.

"It's really fun. We have spirit week and we all dress up and decorate the halls," she said.

The Scarlets will take on Lincoln at 7 p.m. on Saturday for its homecoming game. The team's last regular season home game and senior night will be against Superior at 7 p.m. on Saturday Oct. 25. }