Coach Thomas in a team huddle at Spaulding lacrosse practice in March 2019.
Born and raised in Rhode Island, Coach Thomas has called Vermont home since he stepped on campus at Norwich University in 2010. Thomas was introduced to the sport of lacrosse by his father at the age of three. Since then, lacrosse has always been at the center of his life. A four-year member of both the Corps of Cadets and Men's Lacrosse Team at Norwich, Thomas was a prolific attackman. His many career accomplishments are highlighted by leading the Cadets to the program's first-ever Conference Championship, and NCAA Tournament bid, as a junior in 2013.
During his time at Norwich, Thomas fell in love with Vermont. After graduating in 2014 he wasted no time getting back on the field. In 2015 he became an Assistant Coach at South Burlington High School. Following that season at South Burlington, Thomas returned to Norwich as an Assistant Coach in the fall of 2015. At the conclusion of the Norwich season in 2016 & '17 Thomas continued to coach at South Burlington as a volunteer.
Over his four seasons as an Assistant Coach at Norwich, Thomas helped the program grow tremendously. Thomas began the 2019 Norwich season as the Offensive Coordinator. He left the team in March as he accepted the Head Varsity Coach position at Spaulding High School in Barre, VT. Thomas was voted US Lacrosse Vermont Coach of the Year in 2019 along with Division II Coach of the Year in Vermont. Spaulding also earned the Division II Sportsmanship Award in 2019 voted by the Vermont Lacrosse Officials Association.
Along with coaching, Thomas was a Behavior Specialist at Barre City Elementary & Middle School. Thomas is now the Varsity Women’s Lacrosse coach at Norwich University. An avid skier and mountain biker, Thomas currently resides in Barre, VT. with his wife.
Coach Matt Flaherty began playing lacrosse during his freshman year of high school and has been experimenting with the sport ever since. He was born and raised in Portland, Maine and graduated from Deering High School as a senior captain of the football and lacrosse teams.
After high school, Matt attended Norwich University to complete a Spanish degree and play on the lacrosse team. While at Norwich, Matt was a member of the 2013 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Men’s Lacrosse Champion team, a senior captain, 2016 All-GNAC Men’s Lacrosse Second Team member and a selection for the 2016 All-GNAC Men’s Lacrosse Tournament Team.
After graduating from Norwich University, Matt began his career in the Maine Migrant Education Program (MEP) as an outreach and enrollment specialist. Now, he works with the Maine Department of Education, coordinating the Maine MEP in partnership with the nonprofit, Mano en Mano, to serve migratory children across the state.
He has been involved with the game of lacrosse ever since picking up a stick in 2008. He served as an assistant coach at his Alma Mater, Deering High School, from 2017 to 2019. He then joined the Woodchuck Lacrosse program as a coach in 2020. Since 2021, he has served as the Boys Lacrosse Coordinator at Barre Youth Sports Association (BYSA) Lacrosse, including coaching the 7th/8th grade boys lacrosse team in 2021. Now, he is the High School Boys Lacrosse Coach at Spaulding High School in Barre, Vermont.
He currently lives with his wife Jordan, daughter Parker and 2 dogs Sunny and Charlie in Barre, Vermont.
Jack Anzalone comes to Vermont from Ridgewood, NJ after earning his undergraduate and master’s degree from Norwich University. Jack has spent time in the Burlington School District as an After School Site Director and has been involved in a variety of youth lacrosse programs.
At Norwich, Jack was an Attackmen/Midfielder under Head Coach Neal Anderson. While at Norwich Jack was a 3x time captain, 2x All-Conference selection, and 2x conference champion. He was part of an Attack unit that set new records and standards at Norwich. Individually, Jack finished his career at Norwich 4th all-time in career points and 2nd all-time in career assists. Upon finishing his playing career at Norwich, Jack has spent his summers, playing and coaching box lacrosse in Vermont, Buffalo, and in Ottawa, ON. Jack is excited to help grow/introduce the game of lacrosse to the youth of Vermont