Former Miami Dolphin Lamar Thomas' Many Talents May Include Acting

April 10, 2009 3:17 p.m. EST

Boynton Beach, FL (AHN) - Lamar Thomas has come full circle.

As a freshman more than 20 years ago at Buchholz High School in Gainesville, FL, a young coach Rick Swain approached Thomas and told him he saw potential in the young man.

"He pulled me aside and said he saw something in me," said Thomas, a former NFL player for the Buccaneers and Dolphins. "He said he would do anything to help me succeed."

From that point on, the two stayed close and Swain kept an eye on Thomas' successful career in the NFL, which ended in 1998.

From there, Thomas' career in broadcasting began.

After controversial comments made by Thomas during a Miami Hurricanes-Florida International game in 2006 where a fight broke out, Thomas was let go by Comcast Sports Southeast.

Thomas expressed his interest to join the fight to defend his alma mater, the University of Miami, which the network found offensive.

Thomas then found redemption.

He wanted to go back to the purity of the game at the high school level and help young athletes just like his old coach Swain did.

"This man helped me and made that difference for me," Thomas said.

Swain, now the head coach of the Boynton Beach Community High School Tigers took Thomas on as an assistant coach.

More than 20 years later, Thomas had the chance to coach beside the same man who changed his life for the better.

"The fact that you can make a difference in someone's life and in the life of a young child shows me how and why Rick has done this for so long," Thomas said.

Thomas has taken his dedication to his students one step further. He is playing Coach Bolton in the upcoming production of High School Musical at Boynton High,

The production gets underway 7 p.m. April 16, 17 and 18 at the school, located at 4975 Park Ridge Blvd.

"He's done some television commentating and has been interviewed before, and he is actually pretty good in the role," said Joe Ametrano, the school's drama teacher and director of High School Musical.

Thomas is just glad he doesn't have to sing.

"I've been interviewed on ESPN many time, have had a show or two but this is probably the most nerve wracking experience," Thomas said laughing.

Thomas said he was approached by Ametrano to play the role, and accepted because his cause of helping these students has no bounds.

High School Musical is a play Ametrano said is about finding one's place in the world of high school clicks. The musical is based on the Disney movie.

"It has a great, positive message to stick to your dreams," Ametrano said.

Thomas said he would one day like the next step in his career to be coaching college football.

For now, he just wants to touch the lives of a few teens and hopefully make it through the musical.