Private coaching job lures Coog skipper (Baseball/Football)

[BHFAN]

Private coaching job lures Coog skipper

By Dave Rogers

 

Published July 30, 2009

CROSBY — Like hundreds of area youngsters and dozens of area coaches, Marcus Thompson went away to sports camp this summer.

Thompson, the baseball coach at Crosby High School, decided not to come back.

The Cougars have hired Chris Wiggins away from Tarkington High School to take over what was a playoff squad last spring and Chris McKeller from Kirbyville to serve as his assistant.

Thompson’s assistant coach, who is also his brother, Michael Thompson, also resigned to go into private business.

Michael, who is working in outside sales for an equipment rental business in the Beaumont area, resigned at the end of the school year, roughly two months ago.

Marcus Thompson said he didn’t decide until a few weeks ago to cut the strings on a coaching career the boys inherited from their dad, longtime West Orange-Stark defensive coordinator Cornel Thompson.

Both Thompson brothers coached defensive backs for the Cougars.

Marcus Thompson is working with former Robert E. Lee and Dallas Cowboys quarterback Clint Stoerner as a sports-specific trainer at the Next Level training complex in Little Rock.

Stoerner, who has for years given lessons to young quarterbacks and receivers, played his college ball for the University of Arkansas.

“I came up here and did some camp stuff in the month of June and I was offered an opportunity with his business partner to stick around and do sports-specific stuff and baseball training,†Thompson said Wednesday.

“I said ‘What the hell? Why not?’ My brother had gotten another job, moved back to the Beaumont area, so I thought I’d try it out, see what the ‘Natural State’ has to offer.

“I will absolutely miss the baseball team and football team, but curiosity killed the cat and I guess I’m the cat right now.â€

Marcus Thompson said he and Stoerner have been friends since 2000, Stoerner’s rookie year with the Cowboys.

“Me and his brothers would load up and go to Dallas games and we’d get down on the sideline,†the retiring coach said. “After he finished playing, we’d fly up and see Arkansas games.

“We just became good friends and started trading notes on sports-specific training. It just evolved into this deal. We’re trying to collaborate and get a big facility erected up here and get it rolling.â€

Kevin Flanigan, Crosby’s athletic director, said he was surprised by Marcus Thompson’s sudden career change. But it didn’t take long to find a successor in Wiggins.

“He lives here in Crosby,†Flanigan said. “His family’s here. He’s done a good job where he’s at. It really worked out for us.â€

Wiggins has had Tarkington’s baseball team in the playoffs each of the past three seasons, winning the District 22-3A title in 2007.

Crosby’s team, returning to the playoffs in 2009 after a two-year absence, went 20-11, finishing third in District 19-4A.

Pitcher Jeremy Gabryszwski, named co-defensive MVP in the district, leads the Cougar returners.

[Slam14]

  WOW!

  Oh, my bad.  I misread the title.  I thought it said "Coogs lure skipper to coaching job"     ;D