Tom Hodges
Head Freshman White Coach

Coach Tom Hodges is a 1991 graduate of LaSalle High School. He participated and received multiple honors in football, basketball, and golf. Tom is a UNI alumnus where he received his BA in Physical Education. He later earned his Masters Degree from Coe College.

Tom has been a physical education teacher at Van Buren Elementary School for the past eleven years. He has coached basketball, at the junior high level for Holy Family Middle School and Taft Middle School, and also assistant varsity at Jefferson. He has also coach football at Taft the past six years. Tom is married to Stacey, who works as an operational therapist in Vinton, Iowa. They have two sons, Cael, ,5 and Payton, 3. As a family they enjoy spending time together and staying active in sports.

Carlton Saunders
Assistant Freshman White Coach

Coach Carlton Saunders was born in London, England. He lived in Toronto, Ontario for 11 years and Tampa, Florida during his high school years. Carlton graduated from William Penn College in Oskaloosa, Iowa. He and his family have made Cedar Rapids their home since 1991.

Carlton is married to Kathie and has two sons, Lucas and Alec. Lucas is an honor- roll senior and a member of the varsity swim team. Alec is an honor-roll freshman and a member of the sophomore basketball team.

This is Carlton’s first year with the Jefferson basketball team although he has coached youth teams for several years. In his roles as a boys basketball volunteer coach and as the football varsity tight-ends coach, Carlton enjoys the opportunity to teach fundamentals and shape young men’s attitudes on and off the court.