Tom started wrestling at Wilkinsburg High School, where he was a WPIAL Section 2 wrestling champion. His college wrestling was done at Shippensburg University where he was a four-year letter winner and won a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championship. He later competed in the U.S. Olympic Trials and in 1983 he won a U.S. Masters wrestling championship at the University of Pennsylvania. For 28 years Tom served as a head wrestling coach. He coached 20 years at Latrobe High School and compiled a record of 202-87·5 and was named WPIAL Section 1 Coach of the Year 7 times. Tom left Latrobe to become head wrestling coach at St. Vincent College, a position he held for 8 years. Overall, Tom has served St Vincent College for more than three decades as a coach for the cross country, lacrosse and wrestling programs. During this time he found time to officiate and was a 31 year PIAA Wrestling Official. He was the director of many camps including the Top-of-the-Mountain Wrestling Camp which he directed and owned. In 2001, Tom was inducted into the Southeastern Pennsylvania Hall of Fame and in 2008, was inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, East Boro Chapter.