BOYS BASKETBALL
The similar paths of Steve Thompson and the Springstead High boys basketball program finally converged this week, forming what the school hopes is a perfect union.
Over the summer, Thompson went to work as the new head coach at Gulf High, only to pull out when it became apparent he would not receive a teaching position.
Meanwhile, Springstead lost headman Pat Kelly to Jensen Beach, leaving the school needing to replace the coach that led the Eagles to the Class 4A state championship game.
One door closes; another door opens. On Tuesday Springstead officially hired Thompson as the eighth head coach in program history.
“He was the best of the ones we had,” Springstead Athletic Director Bob Levija said. “We feel he’ll be a good fit with Springstead, too. We were impressed with all his experience.”
Solid credentials
The 52-year-old Thompson brings a 401-193 career record cobbled together across four previous coaching stops in Kentucky, Mississippi and his home state of Tennessee.
Three times he has earned Coach of the Year honors, twice in Tennessee and once in Mississippi. Twice he has taken a team as far as the state semifinals, in 1988 at County Day School in Memphis, Tenn. and 1994 at Tyner High in Chattanooga, Tenn.
Last year at Perry County High in Linden, Tenn. he took both the boys and girls teams to regionals. But he decided he wanted to make a move to Florida, which originally led him to Gulf.
However, without a fulltime teaching gig, he opted to resign, returning to Tennessee while some old friends tugged at him to join them as an assistant coach.
As he searched for another job, he became aware of the Springstead opening. He started as a physical education/health teacher there a few weeks ago.
“It feels good,” Thompson said. “I was in a position where I knew I’d be back in Florida eventually, but I was back home looking at a couple of positions.
“When I got down here, I knew I wanted to be here. The palm trees get in your blood.”
The Eagles have endured constant changes at the helm this decade. Thompson marks the sixth head coach since Greg O’Connell stepped down following the 1999-2000 season, ending his 23-year tenure.
That didn’t stopped Springstead from capturing three district titles in the last four years, and winning at least a share of the last five county championships.
In two seasons under Kelly, the Eagles went 53-6, including an unprecedented 31-1 run this past campaign ending with a loss to Cocoa in the state title game. Springstead had only one previous regional victory.
Time to rebuild
One reason Thompson figures he’ll fit in well, he said he typically employs a very similar system to what Kelly installed, up-tempo and utilizing a full-court press.
But the 2009-10 roster will look considerably different from 2008-09. Three starters, Isaiah Mason, Domnique Roberson and Dante Valentine, have graduated.
Valentine, the school’s all-time leader in points and steals, plus Mason became Springstead’s first All-State representatives, while Roberson received consideration.
A fourth starter, forward Addison O’Neil, has moved to Connecticut, leaving the Eagles minus their four All-County selections as they move up to 5A.
Starting guard Nick Steadman, a senior, and sixth man Sal Latimer, a junior, are the only returning rotation players.
“I normally take over programs that are really, really bad and build them up and make them good,” Thompson said. “This program is not like that, but it’s still a rebuilding effort.
“…What happened last year is a great motivating factor for the team, the school and the county. But in the end, with losing four starters, this team will be judged by what they’re doing, not references to last year’s team.”
Thompson gave great credit to George Bennett, Kelly’s former assistant who will continue to fill that same role, for “keeping this program afloat” in the absence of a head coach.
He also praised the school’s administration and staff, hoping he can maintain for them the winning tradition established by his predecessors.
“I didn’t come here to lose,” Thompson said. “I came here to rebuild this program and possibly at some point in time make it back to the state finals, and this time win it.”
SPRINGSTEAD BOYS BASKETBALL COACHES: BY THE NUMBERS
Years Coach Record
76-77 Dan Janicki 9-17
77-00 Greg O’Connell 366-233
00-03 Scott Bennett 27-47
03-04 Whit Campbell 5-18
04-05 Michael Lannon 10-11
05-07 Craig Swartout 40-16
07-09 Pat Kelly 53-6
TOTALS 510-348
Sports writer Chris Bernhardt Jr. can be reached at 352-544-5288 or [email protected].
