Jack Thornton, left, receives a proclamation from Warren Mayor Doug Franklin during a ceremony Wednesday to honor the legacy of Thornton as an educator and coach.
WARREN — In celebration of 46 years of coaching track and field in the city, Warren Mayor Doug Franklin honored Steubenville native Jack C. Thornton with a mayoral proclamation inside his office at Warren City Hall on Wednesday afternoon.
Franklin read the proclamation to Thornton, which highlights the years he has poured into the sport of track and field.
The proclamation sheds light on the “thousands of hours and thousands of his own dollars for the advancement of athletes,” one of which was Thornton establishing the Warren Striders Track Club in 1972, which he continues to assist.
The proclamation also makes note that Thornton is the only coach across any sport to have coached at each of the three Warren high schools: Warren Western Reserve, Warren G. Harding and Warren John F. Kennedy.
Over the course of a career that spans decades, Thornton has led two JFK teams to a state track meet win. His work also inspired a speed camp, which has been recognized as one of Ohio’s premier camps for talented sprinters.
Thornton also has been inducted into the Warren Sports Hall of Fame and the Trumbull County Sports Hall of Fame.
Aside from receiving Wednesday’s mayoral proclamation, just a few days prior, he was notified he’d been chosen as a Community Champion in Steubenville.
“It’s quite an honor to be awarded this proclamation from the city of Warren,” Thornton said. “And it’s only because of people like Nick Spano and others who have watched me, coached me, coached with me and been a part of what I’ve been doing for 46 years.”
At age 71, Thornton is still actively coaching and competing. Thornton said he’s preparing to compete in the long jump and triple jump during the Senior Olympics in July.
Franklin thanked Thornton for his dedication, commitment and excellent service in the community as Jan. 25 was declared “Jack C. Thornton Jr. Day.”
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