On Thursday, February 25, 2021, Lincoln University Head Track & Field Coach Victor Thomas, aka "Poppy," was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. Talking to his student-athletes, it's easy to understand how Coach Thomas got the name "Poppy" in the first place. He doesn't just see his athletes as what they can do for him, but instead sees his athletes as family.
 
"Knowing that you have a coach that is going to support you on and off the track is a nice feeling," said Woodeline Chery, a member of the women's track & field team. "He pushes us to remain focused on school first, then track. Coach always tells us to go out and give our best, and he's fine with that. Effort is all he asks from us and that is why I feel that he is a great coach."
 
Thomas has been the track coach for nineteen years and counting. He has won 14 NCAA Division II national championships in that span, a pretty amazing feat. But while his success is seen clearly in the amount of championships he has won, the cause of that success is far greater than just helping his athletes to run faster or jump higher and farther.
 
"I think what has made Poppy successful comes from his core value to help as many athletes as he can from his home country," said Alex Templeton, a former high jumper on the 2017 MIAA Champion men's outdoor track & field team, and a current assistant coach with the program. "We always admire those who become successful and give back to their community. Well, Poppy has long been helping young athletes from Jamaica and other islands not only become better athletes, but by giving them opportunities to further their education, graduate, and better their futures.
 
"That is what I believe to be Poppy's greatest success. And when a coach has something greater than themselves as their core mission, success is always bound to follow.," added Richard Cross, another former athlete who competed for Coach Thomas. "I believe what makes Coach Thomas successful is the passion for what he does and the desire to see his students succeed. Coach Thomas knows how to utilize the talents he has on his team as he reminds us as athletes that it's a team effort that will make us successful."
 
Thomas is not just known for his reputation of creating a family-like atmosphere, but also for an atmosphere of continuity. Athletes want to compete for him and rarely transfer to other programs. In some cases an athlete may have loved their experience as an athlete so much that once they graduate they stick around to be a part of his staff.
 
"I have been a track member of Lincoln's Track team for four years," Chery said. "Prior to knowing Coach Thomas, I had heard great things about Lincoln's track team and their success over the years. After speaking with Coach Thomas prior to enrolling, I realized he wanted to give me a chance to join the track team and get a degree to help build a bright future for myself. He helped me with everything that I needed in the beginning, that's how I knew I made the right decision."
 
"Unfortunately, I was only an athlete for one year," Templeton said. "I had come in from a junior college with only one year of eligibility. Honestly, it did not matter who the coach was. I joined purely out of my love for high jump and the sport of track and field. When I asked to be the volunteer jumps coach, knowing Poppy was the coach certainly played a role."