Jocelyn Thomas calls herself a woman of faith and credits God for guiding her throughout her life, from her beginnings in Montgomery, Alabama, to her current role as a crew coordinator for ESPN. Thomas has been involved with women’s professional soccer, college football, and college basketball, but she gives pride to her higher power because of her journey between her childhood and today.
“I am a woman of faith.”
That faith has been a cornerstone of her life, and it can likely be linked to her upbringing in Alabama. Thomas’s mother suffered from cancer most of her life, until her final demise three years ago. His maternal grandparents also died of cancer, which is why health and fitness are still very important to him.
“It’s a level playing field for me,” Thomas said. “When I’m not traveling I work out four times a week and still play tennis.”
from alabama to army
Thomas’ mother taught another lesson here that he could do anything he set his mind to and that he loved sports. Thomas played basketball and tennis, which she still enjoys today. She described herself as shy when she was a child and sports helped her in this regard.
“Athletics and sports have always been connected to me,” he said. With the skills she gained from playing sports and the ambition instilled in her by her mother, Thomas needed to figure out what she would do as an adult. Initially the military was the answer for him because serving could also help him finish college, just as many people choose to enter the service. However, the military proved to be much more important to him than that.
“The Army almost became like my third parent, besides my mother and father.”
Thomas would serve for 20 years and travel to various regions of the world as part of her service to the US, including four deployments to places such as Afghanistan, Kuwait and Guantanamo Bay. She will also serve as a company commander twice during that time, leading military units of 100 to 250 soldiers. By the time his career ended, Captain Thomas had much to be proud of, but he was most proud of the relationships he had built during his travels.
“To this day, I still have people I have served contact me, whether they are my superiors, colleagues, or subordinates, telling me all the different things I wished for them.”
Making your own way in sports media
As Thomas was preparing to exit the service, she was trying to determine what was next for her. Her initial idea was that she would focus on fitness and draw on her experience as a trainer to eventually start a gym business. When she told this to battalion commander Matthew Turcotte, he asked her what she would do if she could do anything she wanted, and she replied that she wanted to work in sports.
“He said if I could figure it out, he would sign anything I wanted,” she recalled. “He lit a fire inside me.”
He credited God with including Turcotte in his life and starting the journey that led to Disney Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Florida. Through several connections, Thomas would be interviewed by Shawn McNally, who wanted to bring Thomas on as an intern. Two weeks later, Thomas would be the first intern for Disney Sports. Thomas later learns that McNally also comes from a military family.
“God brings the right people into your path,” he affirmed.
Thomas was the first apprentice, meaning there was no template or program to follow. So, he and McNeely will create one together. During his time there, McNally prepared Thomas for a one-on-one interview, giving Thomas a chance at execution. Eventually, Thomas met with Rosalynn Durant, VP of Talent Acquisition at ESPN. Thomas would receive three offers and become a part of the ESPN family, resulting in many experiences that she still treasures today.
“I like ESPN. I like Disney, as a sports fan. I’ve been on Radio Row during Super Bowl week, I’ve done a lot of things in a short period of time. It’s not even been two years since I retired from the Army.”
From service to advocacy
When Thomas isn’t working at ESPN, she’s still playing tennis and parenting her son, Legend. She also became an author and advocate for women and diversity in sports media. He feels that the path he has taken is living proof that anyone can excel and achieve their dreams, even if there is no clear path in front of them.
“I call myself the Unicorn of Diversity because I am everything people tell you you can’t be, but somehow it still worked. Black, female, veteran, mother, proud of it all. But despite all those different titles, I am Jocelyn.”
She concluded, “My job is to keep paying it forward and pave the way for other women, whether they’re on the field, behind the camera, or in the front office.”
Thomas is also a proponent of staying active and focusing on health. She has shared that health is wealth and that is a big reason why she is so successful today. Thomas has seen firsthand what being active can do for people in or out of service, and it can be one of the strongest assets of people with big dreams. He has seen and felt it firsthand.
“That’s why health and holistic healing became such an important part of my life.”
You can follow Thomas on Instagram @jocelynknowssports.
M&F senior military editor Rob Wilkins contributed to this Fit to Serve article.
