NCA’s Thompson Awarded Assistant Coach of The Year By NCSCA
Here at NCA, when you hear the name Thompson, you know something good has happened! That’s why we’d like to share with you some exciting news involving the Thompson family!
This past Sunday, NCA’s very own Jenny Thompson (4th Grade teacher), was recognized as the “State Assistant Coach of the Year” by the NCSCA (North Carolina Soccer Coaches Association). Lovingly known as “Mrs. Coach” by her players, Jenny received the award at a ceremony in Raleigh at Cardinal Gibbons High School, along with other Coach of the Year recipients and members of the North Carolina All-State Team for High School Girl’s Soccer.
A 1996 graduate of NCA, Jenny has been an Assistant Coach here at her alma mater for the past 3 years. During that time, she has served in that capacity for the Varsity Girls, Middle School Girls, and Varsity Guys Soccer teams. Prior to coaching at NCA, Jenny spent several years in the same roles at a previous school. In all, Jenny has been an Assistant Soccer Coach for 15 seasons, yet this award marks the first time she has been recognized for her service to her teams and players.
During the initial nomination process at the Regional level (NC Region 2), Jenny was considered for the recognition with other Assistant Coaches from the private schools across western North Carolina. Based on her years of commitment as a coach, and because she has served so selflessly as a mentor and role model to hundreds of players during that time, the Region 2 Committee voted for her to receive the award this year. From there, she advanced to the state level, where she was selected for the highest recognition by the NCSCA State Board of Representatives and Officers.
One of the most special aspects of the NCSCA Awards Ceremony is that team Head Coaches are asked to introduce their Assistants who receive the State award. NCA Head Coach Corey Thompson (NCA Class of 1994) had the honor of reading an introductory speech to the audience just prior to Jenny being recognized.
Congratulations “Mrs. Coach”…we are very proud of you!
Here is the introduction Coach Thompson shared about his wife and Assistant Coach:
Assistant coaches rarely get the credit they deserve. They are often volunteers, sacrificing time away from their family, and “time off” from their jobs, all in an effort to invest in the lives of the players they coach.
Since 2001, Jenny Thompson has served as an Assistant Coach to both girl’s and guy’s high school soccer teams. Most recently, she joined the staff at her alma mater, Northside Christian Academy in Charlotte. For the past 2 years in particular, she has served as the Assistant for both the Varsity and Middle School Lady Knights Soccer Teams during the same season.
Also a 4th Grade Teacher at the school, Jenny has found the time to balance her home life and her classroom responsibilities in addition to coaching the teams.
During the season, she does it all. In victory and defeat, she is always there. But in all that she does, Jenny prefers to do things “behind the scenes,” never out front or in the spotlight, leaving the credit for success to others. Off the field Jenny serves as a role model, a mentor, a team tutor, and a “big sister” to the more than 40 girls between the 2 teams. For 15 seasons, she has been the epitome of what our programs are all about…being more than just a soccer team…being a family.
But as great as she may be as an Assistant Coach, she’s an even better person. She is a phenomenal teacher, a loving mom, an amazing wife, and my best friend.
The 2016 Private School State Assistant Coach of the Year is…Jenny Thompson.
We’d like to congratulate Coach Jenny Thompson on this wonderful award, as well as for all of her hard work and dedication as a mentor and teacher to our fine students. We are thrilled with her award and we hope that you will be too! Way to go, Mrs. Thompson! We’re proud of you!