TA News

Thetford Academy alumnus and longtime basketball coach and mentor Eric Ward ‘76 was known for his kindness and leadership on and off the court. For decades, he was a beloved part of local AAU and school teams at the elementary, junior varsity, and varsity level, passing on his love of the game to a generation of local players. As the girls varsity coach at TA, Ward was excited for the opportunity to build the team from the ground up. In 2014, he led the Panthers to their first-ever state championship win – and followed it with three more titles in 2017, 2019, and 2020. 

After his death in May of 2022, Ward’s sister Pam Robinson hoped to honor her brother’s contributions to and love of Thetford Academy basketball by reinvesting in the program in his memory. The new Eric Ward Memorial Athletics fund at TA will do just that, providing a place for Coach Ward’s loved ones, his students, and his community to contribute to his legacy in the program he loved most. Specifically, the fund will support the purchase of a scoring table, something Ward had long wanted for the program. Additional funds raised will remain within the broader basketball program at TA.

A celebration of life for Coach Ward will take place at TA’s Vaughan Alumni Gymnasium on September 24, 2022 at 4:30 p.m. 

Contributions to the fund in Coach Ward’s memory can be made online via TA’s online giving platform, or by check to TA (designating the Eric Ward Memorial Fund in the memo line) using the below address:

Thetford Academy Advancement Office
304 Academy Road
Thetford Center, VT 05075