Empsy Thompson, 2004. James Barringer photo.

 

By Mike London

Salisbury Post

KANNAPOLIS — The end of the school year brought retirement for Empsy Thompson from his dual roles as A.L. Brown head baseball coach, a job he’s thrived in for all of this century, and AD, a job the “Little General” added to his workload in 2017.

Thompson served as assistant AD for four years prior to becoming full-time AD, as he learned the ropes from Noah Lyon. Before that, he learned from watching the late Ron Massey, who was a terrific AD.

When Lyon left Kannapolis for a football head-coaching opportunity in 2017, Thompson was ready to fill the AD shoes.

Thompson is a Wonder lifer. He arrived at A.L. Brown as a good student, an undersized football player, a 112-pound wrestler and an undersized baseball player.

Part of the Class of 1989, he grew to be a 130-pound wrestler by his senior year.

As a cornerback, Thompson earned the “Most Desire” Award for Wonder football twice during Bob Boswell’s coaching tenure, but baseball was the game that owned his heart.

That’s because baseball was the game his father — also named Empsy Thompson — preferred. That led to young Empsy playing baseball for hours in back yards and driveways as he grew up.

Thompson was a good high school baseball player, but little guys rarely get recruited. After graduating from A.L. Brown, he enrolled at Fayetteville State University as a regular student, but he missed athletics.

He made a switch to UNC Pembroke, walked on and made the baseball team and got playing time. His coach at UNCP, Danny Davis, saw Thompson could relate to all of his teammates, Black, white or Native American. He also could see the kid understood baseball fundamentals. He helped steer Thompson toward a teaching/coaching career.

Thompson’s first chance to be a high school baseball coach came at Lexington High. He helped the jayvee team improve. Then he was the varsity assistant in a tough landscape for winning baseball.

Twelve guys might come out for the team. Lexington had to play some lefties at shortstop. Thompson fought an uphill battle to be competitive every day, but he learned and his teams learned.

The late Gene Benfield gave Thompson a chance to help coach Kannapolis Legion ball in 1995.

In 1999, Thompson had the chance to come home to A.L. Brown. The Wonders have never had to search for another head baseball coach. He also assisted with football and wrestling and taught social studies.

The Thompsons were a teaching family. His wife, Nicole, was a Spanish and English and Second Language teacher. Thompson finally cut back on his teaching duties some when he became the full-time AD.

Thompson enjoyed some strong baseball seasons in the early 2000s, as the Wonders made a turnaround. Thompson always said there were some seasons when you didn’t have to coach effort or attitude, and when those seasons came around, you had a chance to be special.

A lot of talent started to roll through during his tenure. Northwest Cabarrus, West Rowan and Lake Norman were among the best teams in 3A in 2004 and 2005, but the Wonders won the North Piedmont Conference Tournament both years.

Thompson was the head coach for the 2006 Kannapolis Legion team that went 33-10 and won the Area III championship.

Thompson left Legion ball not long after the 2008 season for a coaching opportunity with the South Charlotte Panthers, the area’s top showcase team. He’s been a fixture there.

In his final season at A.L. Brown this spring, he had the chance to coach one of the most talented players he’s had — CJ Gray, an NC State signee and a potential draft pick.

“A.L. Brown is truly a part of me,” Thompson said a few years ago. “I love this school, and I love working with the athletes and their coaches. Our students put in countless hours on the field and in the classroom to achieve success, and our coaches are the best at helping them reach their full potential.”