Coming off a 16-9 season that included an 8-4 league record and a dramatic 51-48 upset of 12th-seeded Payson in the first round of the state tournament, Bayfield High School boys’ basketball coach Damon White Thunder received one of the top honors a Colorado coach can earn when he was selected as one of eight coaches to lead a team in the annual Colorado All-State basketball games, held in Pueblo on June 10-11.
“I was one of the lucky eight,” White Thunder said. “It was nice to be around that much talent, and see that much hard work. It was a great experience.”
White Thunder’s selection came during the all-conference meetings, where coaches nominate their peers for the honor. The Colorado Coaches Association then picks eight of those nominees to coach the four all-star teams.
White Thunder was paired with Platte Valley’s Mike Vig, a veteran of the event.
“He had been there a couple of times, but it was my first experience, and that was pretty cool,” White Thunder said, noting that two of Vig’s players also participated.
“They kind of run the same offense that we do, so it was nice to bounce some of the concepts off of him,” White Thunder added. “I’ll definitely run some of his stuff this year.”
Unlike the regular season, White Thunder didn’t get to choose his roster, but was thrilled to work with a talented group of athletes from all regions of the state. His team featured players ranging from Class 5A to 1A.
“It was nice to run a practice and just have them know exactly what you’re talking about,” he said. “We were there to work, get down and get dirty, and the kids were hustling as hard as they could. The games were really good.”
The Wolverines’ coach said the experience wasn’t just about the players but also about learning from other top coaches.
“I am still pretty new,” he admitted. “I wasn’t the youngest coach that participated, but I had been a head coach for the least amount of time. It gave me a chance to be around other talented coaches and pick their brains, see how they do it.”
White Thunder said the all-star experience gave him a new perspective on his team’s potential.
“I came back and the first thing I told our kids is that I know they can compete with those kids,” he said. “We’ve got a couple of seniors coming back, but we’ve got a younger team. Talent-wise they are right there with them. They just have to put in the work.”
With the 2025 season on the horizon, White Thunder said the weekend in Pueblo has him energized.
“I’m pretty stoked for this upcoming season,” he said. “Coming home and seeing that same amount of talent is a very positive outlook for us.”