A youth sports organization based in Texas is drawing criticism following the discovery that a former coach associated with the program is listed on the state’s sex offender registry.
The Texas Home Educators Sports Association (THESA), which organises sports for homeschooled students in the Fort Worth area, has faced scrutiny over its past association with Thomas “Tommy” Whiteman.
Whiteman, aged 46, is mandated to remain on the sex offender registry until 2030 due to a conviction in 2010 involving the online solicitation of a minor. Official records suggest the offence involved exchanging explicit content with an individual believed to be 14 years old.
Concerns gained traction after reports surfaced that parents were presented with a waiver during the program's registration. This document reportedly touched upon the coach's personal history and purported transformation but did not clearly state his status as a registered sex offender.
A watchdog organisation initially brought the issue to light, with at least one parent asserting that the waiver mentioned personal challenges rather than disclosing his criminal record.
Currently, Whiteman is not listed as a coach on THESA’s official website. He has also been connected to a private sports training facility in the vicinity, where similar accounts of his past have allegedly been shared.
In a separate development, the Carroll Independent School District has stated it is investigating concerns raised about Whiteman, who was previously designated as an approved off-campus activity provider. The district indicated that, to its knowledge, only one student utilized this provider during the 2022–23 academic year, at the specific request of the student's parents.
THESA has not issued a public statement on the matter as of this report.
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