Aaron Snyder
The Independent
WESTWOOD —
Baseball is in Terry Thompson’s blood, so it’s only fitting that the eight-year Fairview assistant coach would become the Eagles’ head man.
Fairview named Thompson the new coach on Wednesday — less than two months after Rick Lambert resigned from the position.
“I’m thankful that I was chosen to do something I love,” Thompson said.
Thompson joins his brother, Rick, in being a Fairview head coach on the diamond. Rick Thompson is the softball coach.
Thompson’s first order of business was assembling a coaching staff to surround him. Joe Robinson, a longtime affiliate of area Little League baseball, will join Thompson, as will Alvin Bailey, Bruce Russell, Eric Parks, Jason Miles and more practice coaches whom Thompson hopes to add.
“We have a lot of young upcoming players, so one-on-one coaching for junior varsity and varsity is very important,” Thompson said. “I’m very fortunate that I will have a very knowledgeable coaching staff.”
Thompson, a 1977 graduate of Fairview, has coached Little League, Babe Ruth, Post 76 and most recently Fairview. He began coaching baseball in 1981. This will be his first head coaching position at the high school level.
“My goal is to teach these kids a good work ethic,” Thompson said. “Something they can take beyond their high school years.”
Among the number of players he has coached throughout the years is his son, Matt, who graduated from Fairview in 2008. He currently plays for the University of Charleston. Thompson’s oldest daughter, Danielle, ran track and cross country at Transylvania University, and his youngest daughter, Becca, plays softball as an eighth-grader.
“As a coach and a parent, I stress the importance of academics,” Thompson said. “If a student wants to continue playing (after high school), they have to make the grade.”
Fairview possesses young talent with which Thompson is looking forward to work, but, with Ashland and Boyd County holding down the 64th District, the Eagles have a trying task annually.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do, but we will be very competitive and represent our community and school and ourselves very well,” Thompson said.
Fairview went 5-22 last season, but reached the 16th Region Tournament in 2009.
AARON SNYDER can be reached at asnyder@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-
