Auston Thomas obviously has a deep affection for leather. Some days, he wears it on his hand. Other days, he sits on it. And some days, he does a little bit of both.
Welcome to the world of a 17-year-old baseball player who moonlights as a cowboy. Or perhaps it’s the other way around.
Thomas, a junior at Rome High, is deeply immersed in the two sports, baseball and rodeo roping. So much so, in fact, that he really can’t say which one he enjoys more.
“I like them both the same (amount), but in different ways,” said Thomas. “In a couple of years, I’ll have to make a decision as to what I want to focus on. But for now, I’m just going to enjoy them both.”
The part-time cowboy, part-time third baseman has yet to mistakenly wear his baseball cleats to a rodeo; nor has he accidentally worn a cowboy hat to a baseball game.
But his two worlds have collided on occasion.
“I’ve had to run many-a-sprint for (Rome High baseball coach Marc Roberts) because of missing a practice due to a rodeo,” he said with a laugh. “That’s happened more than a few times.”
Still, despite the extra legwork created by his double identity, Thomas has given no indication that he can’t handle the hectic lifestyle. Presently, he’s thriving — both in the ring and on the diamond.
He was the starting third baseman for the Wolves last season and is being recruited by a couple of colleges. It’s the same story for his roping career, with several colleges from Texas and Oklahoma contacting him about possible scholarships.
“Baseball and calf-roping have a few things in common,” he said. “The main thing is, you have to make split-second decisions in both. In calf-roping, just like baseball, (success) depends on being able to read what’s coming.”
There are, of course, some major differences between the two.
“In baseball, you have two hours to make a big play or get a big hit,” he said. “In calf-roping, you have about 10 seconds to either be a hero or a loser.”
Aside from calf roping, which is an individual event, Thomas also competes in team roping, which is done with a partner.
“I prefer calf-roping,” he said, “because win or lose, you have no one to (answer to) but yourself.”
His roping exploits recently landed him in Stephenville, Texas for the United States Calf Roping Association World Championships — a prestigious professional event where many of Thomas’ opponents were adults.
He earned his invite to that competition by being ranked No. 4 in the Southeast and No. 12 in the country when the season ended Sept. 3. Overall, his winnings this season exceeded $12,000 in the USCRA events.
That’s pretty heady stuff for a teenager who didn’t pick up his first rope until about five years ago.
“When I first got interested in rodeo, I had some people tell me that I seemed to have some talent at it,” said Thomas. “So that was kind of (encouraging). After that, I started getting more involved, and liking it more and more.”
Thomas is following in the footsteps of three other Georgia-bred cowboys who are making names for themselves on the PCRA tour: Summerville’s Ryan Jarrett, and brothers Tim and Doug Pharr, from Resaca.
Jarrett is currently ranked in the top five, Doug is in the top 10 and Tim is in the top 20.
Thomas cannot yet compete on the PRCA level — which has a minimum age requirement of 18 — but it appears he’ll be well prepared when he gets there.
“Each time I compete on the professional level, it’s a learning experience for me,” Thomas said. “I believe one day, with a little luck, I’ll have the opportunity to compete on the PRCA level.”
Should his professional rodeo career fail to pan out, he can always pursue the baseball avenue.
Bottom line, there’s plenty of options out there for a kid who knows how to take a bull by the horns.
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