Photo by Steve Buchanan Photography
From time to time, Kent County High quarterback Thomas Goldsborough talks to young players from the Kent County Spartans football league—the same one he played in as a kid. Goldsborough gives them tips on how to improve their game and what it takes to play college football.
He is the perfect person to give that advice since he will be playing in the fall at Long Island University.
“I am the first player from Kent County (High) to play Division I football,” Goldsborough says. “I’ve had kids come up to me and say how much I inspire them. I have talked to kids about what it takes to be a Division I athlete and the type of work ethic you need. I like to pave the way for others and help them reach their goals. I work day-in and day-out to reach mine.”
The Kennedyville resident works out as much, or more, as almost any other high school athlete. He trains twice a day in the garage gym of Kent County offensive line coach Garvin Potts. His schedule includes a workout before and after school. He focuses on lifting a lot of free weights and speed and agility work.
Goldsborough also trains every Sunday at the Quarterback Factory in Crofton, concentrating on fundamentals. “I get up at five and get in the (Potts’) gym at 5:30 and do an hour and a half or two-hour workout,” he says. “Then I go to school and [in the evening] work out again from 6:30 to 8. Some people say to me, ‘When do you have fun?’ I say, ‘That is fun for me.’ I’m getting better and reaching my goals.”
One of the things that motivates Goldsborough is his doubters. They look at his height: 5 feet 10.
“Thomas has always been told his size might keep him from being a quarterback and that drives him to be the best,” Potts says.
Potts never has to be concerned about Goldsborough missing a workout. He calls him the hardest worker he’s coached in 15 years. “It’s his will and effort,” Potts says. “He really likes to be challenged.” Recruiters weren’t bothered by Goldsborough’s size. He also weighs 175 pounds.
They love his athleticism. About 10 schools aggressively recruited Goldsborough, who carried a 3.68 grade-point average. Goldsborough picked Long Island, which he will be attending on an academic scholarship, because of Bryan Collins, who is in his 22nd year at the school.
“The coach is very honest with me,” he says. “That’s one thing I look for in a coach. He told me, ‘You have to come in and compete. You are playing at the Division I level.’ Other coaches would say, ‘You could come here and be a starter. It just seemed kind of fishy. It’s kind of rare to start as a freshman.”
Goldsborough didn’t start all season as a freshman at Kent County. He only started one game and played in four others. But, he went on to start for the next three years. The Trojans used a run-oriented offense during his sophomore and junior seasons.
“At the most, we passed the ball 10 times a game,” Goldsborough explains. Things changed his senior year when new Head Football Coach Brian Aikin employed a spread offense, which emphasizes throwing the football.
“When we were running the ball all the time, I really didn’t know how good I really was,” Goldsborough admits. “Now, I can really play this position of quarterback even though I am 5-10. I can play this position well. It just shows I can compete with the best quarterbacks in the Bayside Conference.”
He won’t get an argument from Aikin. In fact, the coach calls Goldsborough the best quarterback on the entire Eastern Shore. “He has a great arm, great speed, and tremendous footwork,” Aikin says. “All that comes to together by using his vision. When he is running the ball, he just sees the lanes. When the lanes aren’t there, that’s when he attacks through the air. He makes smart decisions.”
Goldsborough dominated during his senior year, which took place this spring because of the pandemic. He threw for 216 yards and five touchdown passes, while running for 144 in a loss to Colonel Richardson. Goldsborough also finished with 339 yards passing and three touchdowns in a triumph over Snow Hill.
“He is very dedicated,” Aikin says. “He drives more than hour to the Quarterback Factory. If all guys on the team worked as hard as him, we would be undefeated. He sleeps with his football.”
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