Just Write Communications
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • News
  • Clients
  • Testimonials
  • Writing Tips
  • Weekly Chuckle
  • Meals We Steal
  • Bad Golf

John Thompson

9/6/2020

3 Comments

 
Picture
​The death of the legendary Georgetown University former men’s basketball coach John Thompson brought back several memories. I did not know him personally. But I did have several personal interactions with him over the years. And they were telling.
 
My interactions with him were 25-30 years ago when I officiated basketball in Washington, D.C. The first incident took place at Sidwell Friends High School as I sat and watched a summer varsity game being played and waited for my JV contest to start. There are only a few rows of seats on the side. It’s tight.
 
As I focused on the game, I felt a HUGE presence sit next to me on my left. I remember thinking, “Man, that’s a big person, whoever it is.” I continued to focus on the officials and players, before slowly glimpsing to my left and looking the individual up and down and my eyes having to go way up to see all of the individual next to me due to his height.
 
I thought, “Whoa, that’s John Thompson.” Within minutes of me saying hi, he shook my hand, smiled and we began a lengthy conversation about high school basketball talent, officiating and who he was looking to recruit that day. It astounded me how open he was, congenial, warm. He listened, asked great questions, made me comfortable as a young man who could have been intimidated by his size and presence.
 
As I officiated longer in the D.C., I moved up to varsity games and slowly into some smaller college games. In the D.C. area, there is a lot of top collegiate talent. That offers you some opportunities to work scrimmages and learn the college rules as a way to improve and prepare if you want to move deeper into the collegiate ranks.
 
John Thompson would bring officials from our local board over the Georgetown to work his scrimmages. I knew this was a unique opportunity the first time this surfaced for me, and I immediately agreed to the request from a fellow official to join him for a preseason scrimmage. I was in for a treat and a lesson.
 
Not knowing what to expect, we walked into the gym dressed and ready to go. You forget there will be no one in the stands because you are in the team’s practice gym. If silence could be a sound, that’s what we heard. Current North Carolina men’s basketball coach Roy Williams was sitting at the top of the small set of bleachers, observing quietly.
 
Thompson held court. His players circled him, sitting on the floor, mesmerized by his presence. Thompson preached that day. Quietly, he shared lessons. No one spoke. Every word was absorbed. We said nothing on the sideline.
 
This went on for a good 10-15 minutes. He was a teacher, a preacher. A good one. One who wanted to uplift his players, help them learn about the world and how they can make it a better place by how they acted on the court, played the game and focused on their school.
 
I was blessed to see this firsthand. See how Coach Thompson strove to influence the next generation of young African American men to do the right thing. He did many great things in his life, but those young men will miss him the most, I’m sure, and his positive influence will continue in the coming years.

3 Comments
Jay Shattuck
9/7/2020 01:41:29 pm

Nice story. Coaches in those days had a total different approach as the player was there for 4 years. With one and out/ transfers, today's coaches have to deal with a totally different student, ahem, athlete. Do they really have time to teach life's lessons? Do young men even listen anymore?

Reply
Dave Simon link
9/7/2020 06:08:52 pm

Hadn't thought of those points, Jay. That's so true. Makes you wonder if we'll ever have John Thompson's in the years ahead.

Reply
Arthur Ray
9/8/2020 10:25:40 am

A giant in many ways. Meant so much to my City as well. Rest in peace , Coach for life.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013

    Categories

    All

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.