 Teacher:
That is the one word that has been used to describe John
Thompson. As the Head Coach at North Carolina Wesleyan
enters his 12th season in 2006-2007, he continues to
reinforce his philosophy of player development. Coach
Thompson blends basketball and life into daily lesson
plans for his players and holds class on the basketball
court. His message of hard work, perseverance, and
self-discipline are driven home daily in an effort to see
players succeed.
"I love seeing kids develop. Improvement on the court, in
the classroom, in all areas is what we try to achieve,"
says Thompson.
It is his work ethic and enthusiasm that serve as the
foundation for the program he is constantly building. Says
Thompson, "We want to develop a consistently successful
program. One built on good people, that is always a
contender."
Always striving to get the most out of his players,
effort, enthusiasm, and determination are attributes
personified through his players. Always fundamentally
sound, the aggressive defense of this team leads to a
fast-breaking offense.
Prior to arriving at Wesleyan, Coach Thompson was an
assistant at St. Andrews College, St. Lawrence University,
and Guilford College. While at St. Lawrence, the Saints
won the ICAC Championship, and the 1988-1989 Guilford
College squad won the NAIA District 26 Championship and
advanced to the National Tournament.
Thompson has led the Bishops to the 2002 Dixie Conference
Tournament Championship and the 2000 Regular Season
Championship. In 1999-2000 he was named Dixie Conference
Coach of the Year. The 2002 squad advanced to the NCAA
Tournament.
Originally from Durham, North Carolina, Thompson played
collegiately at St. Andrews College and the University of
North Carolina at Greensboro. The captain of his team as a
senior, Thompson graduated from UNCG (‘84) with a degree
in communications. After graduation, he was invited to try
out with the Florida Suncoast Stingers of the Continental
Basketball Association (CBA).
John Thompson wears many hats at Wesleyan and in the
community. In addition to serving as Director of Athletics
and head basketball coach at Wesleyan, he held the
position of President of the USA South from 2001-2005. He
is the current chairman of the USA South Basketball
Coaches Committee, while also serving on the NABC
Legislation Committee and the NABC Congress. Thompson sits
on the Advisory Board of the Wesleyan Internship and
Career Center and has served on the Staff Council, the
Institutional Effectiveness Committee, the Matriculation
Committee, the Homecoming Committee, the Enrollment
Management Committee, the SACS Self-Study Education
Sub-Committee, and as a co-facilitator for College 101.
Most recently, he has been appointed to the College's
First Year Experience Committee and the 50th Anniversary
Committee.
Thompson and his wife Laura, live in Rocky Mount with
their son Andrew, who is 11 years old, and four-year old
twins, Jackson and Walker. |
