AURORA | John Thompson’s been a part of Smoky Hill High School in a variety of capacities for more than three decades.
He’s walked the school’s hallways as a student, a teacher, an assistant coach and a head coach and now, an athletic director.
Thompson got hired as Smoky Hill’s new AD late last week as he takes over the post held by Preston Davis for the past two years.
“I’m excited, but a little bit nervous, I won’t lie,” Thompson said Tuesday. “I want to do everything right. I like our coaches and our kids and I’m excited about helping them continue their success. I say this jokingly, but I’ve been around long enough that I don’t need to learn the people, I need to learn the job.”
Thompson can hit the ground running given his connection with Smoky Hill, where he’s spent the better part of the last 30 years in some way or another. A 1981 graduate of the school, Thompson did his student teaching there in 1985, when he had his first stint as an assistant coach on the football team, a role he reprised under Dan Gallas in 2002.
A math teach at the school for the past 13 years, Thompson also served as head coach of the football team between 2006 and 2013, finishing 21-49 overall. In 2007, he led the Buffs to a 5-5 record and the school’s first playoff berth since 1990.
Thompson feels he’s gleaned plenty over the years from his fellow coaches at Smoky Hill that should help give him some direction in his new role.
“I’ve spent a lot of time talking with coaches in our building over the years talking about how we run practice, what we do with our players in the offseason and the little things that we do as coaches organizationally; all the things that drive you crazy,” Thompson said.
“Now, I get to help our coaches and support them in what they needed. I’ve always tried to be there if they were struggling a little bit, so I hope to continue that part, I just have some administrative things I’ll have to take on.”
One thing Thompson won’t have to do immediately is make any major coaching hires, as big vacancies with the football team and the boys basketball team were filled recently. John Trahan got the nod as Smoky Hill’s football coach in February and the school brought Anthony Hardin aboard as its new boys hoops coach shortly before Thompson’s hiring. The school also has a new principal.
“There’s been quite a bit of a turnover and a lot of teachers retired, that’s the way it goes,” Thompson said. “There’s a lot of change this year, but hopefully we can continue the momentum we have.”
To take the AD job, Thompson has to give up the position he’s had for the past two years working with the defensive line at Grandview.
While he will miss coaching and teaching, he’s ready to tackle the challenge of an entire athletic program, which he sees in pretty good shape thanks to Davis.
“I’d say we’re in position to make a pretty good push in all sports really,” Thompson said. “We’ve had some turnover with the big programs, but we have a lot of the same coaches in place in other sports for 10, 15 years who have great success, so that’s going to continue.
“Sometimes things just have to land the right way in some of those sports and you’re a play or two or a shot away from making a run. We need some of those to fall, but we’re right there.”
Athletically, some of the highlights for Smoky Hill in the 2014-15 school year included distance runner Blake Yount setting the Colorado record in the 800 meter run and winning Gatorade’s Colorado Athlete of the Year for boys track, the boys soccer team’s Centennial League championship and run to the 5A semifinals in the fall, swimmer Alex Kohlman receiving the Hoyt Brawner Award as 5A’s top boys swimmer/scholar and the boys and girls cross country team’s sweep of the annual Aurora City Championship meet.
Being an athletic director is in the Thompson family blood, as John’s brother Gary — who is now an assistant principal at Grandview — served as AD at Chaparral for nearly a decade.
Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor of the Aurora Sentinel. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
