UPM's Own Home Run King

With an early introduction to sports at age five, Trace Thomas, son of United Performance Metals’ Carol Thomas, Senior Account Manager, has had many accomplishments in just five years of playing so far. Most recently, his little league 10-year-old team won districts for the Southwest region of Ohio and went on to compete at the state tournament. (The older 12-year-old team from his club appeared in the Little League World Series featured recently on ESPN.)

Both Carol and her husband, Scott, always have enjoyed sports, Carol having played volleyball, tennis, and golf for years. When Trace turned five, they signed him up for t-ball and he has been playing every since. “When he was little he always ran around with a baseball bat,” Carol recalls. He still loves to hit, and spent a lot of extra time practicing with his dad before games and practices this season.

Trace played for the West Side Indians during regular season this year. He then was selected for the 10-year-old "A" Allstars, which he has made each year since he was eight. This year, the "A" Allstars went undefeated at the district level and won District Nine. During the tournament, Trace played second, third, and left field. He even was able to hit his first homerun during one of the district games. After winning districts, his team progressed to the state tournament.

The state tournament took place in Ironton, Ohio and Trace played second, third, and pitcher. Although his team lost two out of three games, which sent them home, Trace hit another homerun during one of the games. Hitting homeruns at both districts and state has been Trace’s greatest baseball accomplishment thus far.

In addition to playing baseball, Trace also plays basketball for his school on Team Hamilton-Blue in the CYO League. He is taking a year off from football to work on his golf game as well.

Carol really enjoyed seeing her son play at districts and state this year. She was especially proud after he hit one of his homeruns. “He saw me jumping up and down and yelling as he was rounding second,” she remembers with a laugh. Trace finished the season with a .545 batting average, hitting 6-11 at state. Trace Thomas is 10 years old and a fifth grader at Ridgeway Elementary.