AS THE late summer sun pressed down on the field, the clunk of helmets and the shrill blows from the coach’s whistle pushed against the hovering humidity. Tackle dummies fell back under the weight of grunting young athletes eager to test their abilities in the coming season. The first days of practice and a clean slate motivated the new and returning players.
It was far removed from the softball field and outdoor basketball court of Louis Thompson’s grade school. No stranger to hard work, the son of a farmer knew about seasons. Planting, tending, and harvesting was one thing, but football was another story — one he’d never experienced. The first practice left him reeling, questioning his decision to play.
“Just give it a chance,” urged coach Edd Cantrell, head football coach at Lebanon High School, sensing the uncertainty in his first-time freshman player.
Those five little words held the power to mold a hall of fame high school coach.
“I thought about quitting big-time the first day I ever practiced football. I had no clue. I was 14 years old and had never put on a shoulder pad, headgear, or anything else, but I made it through the first day,” said Thompson. “Had he not said something to me, I might not have gone back the next day. I can’t tell you how many days I think about that first day of football and where I’d be right now.”
Thompson noticed something else in those early practices that framed his coaching philosophy — Hester Gibbs, the lineman coach, treated everyone the same.
“Coach Gibbs always encouraged me to do the best I could every day,” Thompson recalled. “It didn’t matter what it was — every day, he tried to make me better in some aspect of the game. And I tried to remember that when I started coaching.” It sounds counterintuitive to a winning game plan, yet countless men live with purpose and pride today because of their time with Thompson, who played at the University of Alabama for coach Bear Bryant.
He stated, “I always tried to treat everybody the same; it didn’t matter who they were. I saw it my whole high school career, and I saw it with Coach Bryant. He didn’t care if it was the quarterback or the last team running back — he tried to treat everybody the same.”
Like his coaches, Thompson encouraged his players to set goals and strive for them, one at a time. It’s what builds players, teams, and championships. But more importantly, it builds character that remains long after the field lights dim.
“You’ve got to have a burning desire to reach that goal, whatever it is. And I think if you reach enough of them, listen to your coaches and your teammates and sell out, and you’re all in for it, and you get enough young men, or women, whatever sport it is, to buy into that, then you can become a champion,” he said.
He shared a perfect example of a sold-out commitment. In 1982, when Thompson took over the struggling football program in Unicoi County, he encountered a freshman in the weight room who could barely lift the 45-pound bar during max-out testing. But, from that moment, the player committed himself fully. Through tremendous work ethic in the weight room and on the field, he went from that initial failure to eventually benching an impressive 330 pounds. He received a scholarship to play at East Tennessee State University, exemplifying how players who initially lacked developed talent, by buying into the process, transformed into champions who earned opportunities through their determination.
Thompson points to quarterback Kelly Holcomb as another champion example. Despite being undersized, Holcomb’s leadership and burning desire drove the Lincoln County High School team to a state championship under Thompson’s leadership.
“Kelly was a great leader and one of the main reasons that we did win the state,” Thompson recalled.
Holcomb took that championship mentality and became Middle Tennessee State’s all-time leading passer before going pro as an NFL quarterback.
“Kelly is a prime example of what it takes to be a champion,” said Thompson. “He had that burning desire to excel and became a starter who ended up playing 13 years in the NFL.”
Holcomb’s journey from undersized high school star to professional football player personifies the success stories that defined Thompson’s program — challenging players equally, regardless of size or perceived talent, to develop the physical and mental fortitude required to reach their full potential.
Thompson is quick to acknowledge he didn’t accomplish it all alone. It was possible, he said, thanks to the patient support of his wife and children, the hard work of great assistant coaches, and the encouragement of a loyal fanbase.
Over his 24 years leading the Falcons, Thompson embodied the pursuit of consistent improvement and character development, which was his program’s central force. Under his guidance, the team captured two state titles and made 20 playoff appearances. This profound legacy earned him a place in the TSSAA Hall of Fame and the hearts of the countless players whose lives he shaped.
For Thompson, the ultimate measure of success extended far beyond wins and championships. It was forging young men of character who maximized their potential through an unwavering commitment to his principles of hard work, discipline, and an inextinguishable “burning desire.”
It’s where true champions were made. GN
