Coach Nick Thomson at his office in the Lahue Physical Education Center. Photo credit: Jared Toney.
ENC men’s soccer and golf teams will be spearheaded by newly hired coach Nick Thompson for the upcoming season.
Thompson comes with a variety of experience in NCAA soccer coaching. Over the past few years, he has coached at every level of NCAA soccer − D1, D2, and D3.
Thompson plans on using his past experiences to support the soccer and golf programs. He was a player in the D3 soccer program at Messiah College and won three National Championships. Post-graduation, he played professionally for a year with the Carolina Railhawks in Raleigh, N.C. With those experiences, Thompson says, come incredible coaches.
“I have been very blessed to work under some extremely talented and influential coaches and because of my time working with them, [I] feel ready to take over my own program and help take this team to the next level,” Thompson said.
On the other hand, his experiences concerning golf are “very limited.” Thompson does not plan on letting the golf team down as a coach, however, and hopes his experiences coaching soccer will aid in golf.
“I look forward to supporting the golf team and helping them accomplish their goals while they are a part of our program,” Thompson commented.
Thompson is a firm believer in leading through investment and service.
“You will see me around my guys all the time (both golf and soccer),” Thompson said. “I want to be someone in their life they can rely on, trust, and be someone who can push them to grow and mature into strong, young men. We will also work on that very intentionally with both groups. We are going to be teams who invest in one another, who serve each other, who love and respect each other.”
Thompson hopes to lead a program that has a lasting effect on its members.
“My goal is for guys to leave my programs and be able to look back and feel that because of the investment their coaches and teammates made, they are forever impacted and changed by their experience with either the soccer team or golf team,” Thompson commented.
Although he just moved here from California, Thompson is not new to the area. He lived in the Boston area before, and is happy to be back.
“This is a special place, and I am excited to work with great people around campus and players who want to be a part of a unique athletic experience,” he said.
“I really look forward to being ingrained in the ENC community. I have been here less than two weeks and already feel very welcomed and accepted by everyone I have met and been in contact with,” Thomspon concluded.