A new book about the life of former Aplington-Parkersburg football coach Ed Thomas will hit bookshelves this summer. “The Sacred Acre” brings readers into Coach Thomas’s life from the May 2008 tornado to his death in June 2009. Thomas’s son Aaron, who is A-P’s current athletic director, says author Mark Tabb has been careful to be as accurate as possible.

Thomas says they want it to be as accurate as possible and depict their dad in the proper light. Helping to write the book is Iowa native Tony Wilson, who produced the 2007 film “The Final Season” and holds the publication rights to Thomas’s life story.

The book will also feature a foreword written by famed NFL coach Tony Dungy. Thomas says they got a chance to know Dungy through the foundation and says his dad was the high school coach of the year the same year Dungy was the NFL coach of the year.

“The Sacred Acre” is set to be released in bookstores August 16.

By Austin Draude KLMJ Hampton