Moments after claiming the girls 135-pound wrestling state championship in February, Moore junior Shelby Kemp rushed to find her mother, Kristin Thomas. “I had moved to the other side to film it for her,” Thomas said. “Then when I finally got to her, she was surrounded by people congratulating her. It took me a minute, but I finally got that ‘You did it!’ hug.
“To most people, she is a state champion and another wrestler to add to the roster,” Thomas said. “But to us, she’s our Shelby and she didn’t need the title to be the amazing young lady she has become.
It wasn’t the first time Thomas celebrated a major athletic moment with one of her children. It won’t likely be the last, either. Thomas and husband, Ryan, parent four children: Madison, Shelby, Olivia and Karson. Madison is 20 years old and plays soccer at Oklahoma City University.
“Madison had a huge impact in the way of proving that no matter where you start, passion and drive can get you to where you want to go,” Thomas said. “Now, I’m sure if you ask Shelby about the impact her older sister may have had, she would have a sarcastic response locked and loaded. But if anybody knows their relationship, they know how strongly they are attached and how deeply they love one another.”
Aside from being a state champion, Shelby tends to her studies and maintains a 4.39 GPA and “will do whatever she can to help another person.”
“Our job is to make sure our kids see us in the stands cheering them on.”
Olivia, a seventh grader at Brink Junior High is a talented dancer and competes with Applause Studios in Moore and is on Brink’s pom team. Her mother, Dr. Julie Wiley, has provided “amazing support” to her dancing endeavors.
“I adore my relationship with Olivia,” Thomas said. “She blows our minds with all the achievements she gets through her dancing and school pom team. She is at every fundraising function and has made friendships that she will most likely have throughout her entire life.”
Karson, 7, is the only boy and “still deciding what his path should be.” “Each of them have their special talents, and we like to allow them the freedom to expand upon them and grow,” Thomas said. “It is spectacular to watch them as they reach new levels of achievement, and they did all the work and made the paths they want to take as they enter their young adult lives.”
Through sports, Thomas’ crew has learned invaluable lessons, including “the importance of seeing beyond themselves and conveying passion, empathy and well being for those they work closely with.”
“We have conversations often as to how these skills they are learning today will play a pivotal role in how they communicate and work with others through school, careers and relationships,”
Thomas said. “Especially when today’s children all grew up with the wonderful world of screens and cameras everywhere, sports have helped them keep to the basics in understanding the importance of origination.
Also through sports, Thomas has learned more about herself as a parent. “I have learned to only step in when they ask for my help. As they become teenagers, they start trying to figure out who they are as an individual,” Thomas said, “and it is very difficult as a parent to sit back and watch when you know it isn’t going to turn out as they anticipate. However, just like in sports, even when you lose, there is a lesson to be learned.
