Tom Vickers was a standout football and baseball player during his high school days at Abbeville High School. Vickers played in the 1961 Alabama All-Star football and baseball games.

He played football and baseball at Marion Military Institute, and was captain of the 1962 football team. He finished his college career in football and baseball at the University of Tennessee Martin.

Vickers joined the staff at Milton High School in Florida following graduation as an assistant football coach. In 1966 he led Ozark Junior High to the state championship. In 1967 he got the head coaching position at Houston County High School for two seasons.

In 1970, he assumed the head football duties at Ashford Academy the first year the new school fielded a football team. His two teams there produced a 9-11 record. In 1972 he re-joined the AHSAA at Wicksburg High School where in nine seasons his teams made the playoffs three times and won three area titles.

Coach Vickers took over at Abbeville, his alma mater, in 1982 for five seasons, three playoff appearances and two area titles. In 1988 he moved over to Slocomb High School for ten years. His teams won four region championships and qualified for the playoffs six times.

His overall record in 28 seasons as a head football coach is 155-149-1 with nine region and area titles. He is a member of the Wiregrass Hall of Fame.