Known for his generous spirit, positive attitude, and warm smile, Thomas Franklin Cox, 57, of Scottsdale Arizona, passed away much too soon, on May 13, 2020.
Tom, or Tommy, as his family, teammates and childhood friends called him, spent his early years in Xenia, Ohio, playing baseball, basketball, football, and running track. When he was a young high school athlete his coaches told him that his dream of playing collegiate football was impossible. But, through perseverance, hard work, and belief in himself, Tom proved them wrong. Despite the naysayers, Tom wrote letters and sent tape after tape to numerous colleges. His dream finally came true when Coach John Robinson offered him a scholarship to play football for his number one choice, the University of Southern California. Tom became a USC Trojan (1981-1985), proudly wore jersey #62 and was a member of the 1985 USC Championship Rose Bowl Team. He went on to play briefly for the Los Angeles Rams.
Undoubtedly, Tom’s proudest moments came from being a father to his three sons. He passed on his love of and talent for sports to his boys, and he was always their biggest and most loyal fan. Jordan played baseball at Cal Lutheran, Dakota played football at the University of New Mexico, and Chandler played football at Auburn, and currently plays for the Miami Dolphins. Tom always reminded his sons that academics were as important as athletics, and he was thrilled to see them all earn their college degrees. He rarely missed a game, or an opportunity to encourage them to stay positive, dream big, study hard, and forge their own way, even when things were tough.
Through the years Tom remained an avid college football fan, and although a Trojan for life, he never failed to root for the underdog, as he always remembered where he had come from. The drive and strength of spirit that made him successful in sports led him to success in the business world as well. In 2007 he founded Catalyst Films & Packaging and served as its owner/CEO until his death.
Tom experienced success and fulfillment as an athlete, businessman, husband to Gretchen of 20 years, and father. He was a man of big dreams, big accomplishments, and most of all, he had the biggest heart, where there was room for all. His life and journal writings reflect a sincere, profound and abiding faith in God, the deepest and most sincere love of family and friends, and an awe-filled appreciation of the wonders of life. It makes perfect sense that one of his favorite sayings was “From the Heart”.
We are very grateful to be partnering with the Cox family to honor the memory of former USC Trojan and Los Angeles Ram, Tom Cox.
Who We Are:
We founded Phoenix Dragons Football 4 years ago to provide boys and girls in the central Phoenix area the opportunity to learn and play tackle football. Last year we became an official 501(c)(3)non-profit organization under the name Phoenix United Athletics and added cheerleading to our program. Since our inception we have grown from just 15 boys to having over 70 boys and girls participate in our program this past fall.
Our Mission:
With less disposable income for many families, they are being forced to choose between allowing their children to participate in sports they love and providing for their families. It is our goal to make youth sports accessible to all children that desire to play.
With young children and tackle football safety is key. We teach fundamentals, rules, and proper techniques necessary for the game, but we also know that in order to best support our kids we must also move beyond the game itself. Many lessons learned through sports can’t be taught, they must be experienced. These include the importance of teamwork, dedication, discipline, perseverance, developing a strong work ethic, and much more. By providing positive adult role models we strive to support and foster these lasting life skills that we hope they will take with them long after leaving our program. We are passionate about building a strong youth sports program for our community for years to come.
How Your Donation Will Help:
Your donation, in memory of Tom Cox, will help ease the burden for our families. It will enable us to provide assistance with registration fees, equipment, and uniforms, which will allow kids to play who may otherwise not have the opportunity to do so. We truly believe our mission is one that Tom Cox would have believed in and supported aligning with the path of success he paved for himself throughout his life and football career.
We will provide the immediate family of Tom Cox with acknowledgement of your gift. In addition you will receive a receipt for tax purposes.
If you have any questions, please contact our president, Reico Brown, at 602-578-4084 or via email at phxunitedathletics@gmail.com.
On behalf of our organization and the Cox family we sincerely thank you for your support in Tom’s honor.
Please use the “Donate” button below to make your donation using any major credit or debit card. If you prefer to mail a donation, checks can be made payable to:
Phoenix United Athletics
2201 E. Pinchot Ave. #2
Phoenix, AZ 85016
