‘I just felt like it’s time’: Thompson looks to make most of final chapter as Carvers Bay coach
Nate Thompson has been making the 25-plus mile trip from his home near Conway to Carvers Bay High School for nearly two decades.
During that time, he’s watched on his commute as U.S. Route 701 has gone from a rural paradise to the beginnings of development and now a construction zone where lanes are expanding. His drive can take him anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours, depending on the traffic and if there’s an accident on the two-lane highway.
Thompson’s commute will soon be ending, as he’s planning to retire from coaching football whenever his Bears (10-0) are finished sending him off, be that with a loss deep in the playoffs or with a third state championship title on his resume.
“I just felt like it’s time. I’ve done some things that I wanted to do and I think it’s time that the younger guys step in; it’s time for youth to be served,” Thompson said at practice on Tuesday.” I’ve got some really good coaches who are ready to step in. These coaches basically carry me most of the time, I know they’re ready. I feel comfortable walking away, even though I know I’m going to miss it – the school and the community.”
Thompson has been the leader of Carvers Bay football since its inception, as the first head coach in the history of the school. The school opened in 2000 and didn’t have to wait long to see the fruits of the hiring of Thompson, who delivered a playoff run in 2001 and a state title in 2002. That success has been due, in large part, to the development of his players on and off the field, according to former Carvers Bay player and current offensive coordinator Lanard Stafford
“To tell you the truth, Coach T is not only an awesome individual, but he built this program around the community. When I was coming through, a lot of the coaches were of the community. We had police officers, standup guys from the community, and other positive role models that were heavily involved with this program,” Stafford recalled. “When I went to college to play ball (at the University of South Carolina), I had already learned everything fundamentally on football, I just needed to learn the plays. That’s a testament to Coach T and the people he puts around his team.”
While he’s made stops at the major schools in Horry County — Myrtle Beach and Conway high schools — as an assistant coach, Thompson made his professional home in Hemingway, turning down many opportunities to leave the smaller school for the glitz and glamour of Carolina Forest, Socastee and other openings. He attributes his staying put to a bit of good luck with his athletes and the community in which he is seen as a pillar.
“The way this community brings you in and loves you, that’s a great part of being here at Carvers Bay,” he said. “We’ve won two state championships, competed for three more. We’ve had some kids go to the pros, some kids go to college – we’ve had a great ride. I feel comfortable turning over the reins to someone else, because this community will support them.”
Over the summer, when Thompson and the Carvers Bay coaches were fighting small turnout for the football team, he sat down with his wife, Janet, and decided it was time for him to ride off into the sunset. For his players, like quarterback and safety Janaz Sumpter and running back Toronto King, sending ‘Coach T’ out with a bang was the top team goal for this season.
“I talked to Coach T last year and asked him to give us seniors one more year,” Sumpter said. “I like Coach T a lot, he’s a great man and I love playing for him. For him to come back and coach for one more year, I appreciate that and everything he’s done for us. I’ve played for him since my freshman year and I’ll do anything he asks of me. If he needs me to play offense, defense, special teams – I will do anything he needs me to do for this team to try and win him another state title.”
Both King and Sumpter looked at playing for Coach T and Carvers Bay as a privilege, having watched the Bears play at Big Bear Stadium growing up.
“He ain’t changed; he’s still the same man,” King said. “My uncle and most of my family played for Carvers Bay and I came to games here growing up and they were always packed. I knew I wanted to be a part of this team and it’s my time to shine.”
If the Bears are to make Thompson’s final season one fit for the big screen, they’ll have to do so by beating the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last year in Bamberg-Ehrhardt.
“I’m looking forward to hopefully winning a state championship, but for right now, I’m looking forward to that game against Bamberg,” Thompson said. “They came last year, they’re tough and we got close, but we didn’t make it. We’re hoping to give them a better game. The good thing is, sometimes you get do-overs, so maybe this is our do-over.”
While he’s still plenty busy game planning for his team’s next game, Thompson has already thought of what his retirement will look like, aside from doing plenty of fishing and working on his golf game.
“I’ll probably still be around, probably be involved in some kind of football or sports. I know I’ll probably be helping somebody somewhere, because I know I can’t just sit at home,” he said. “Somebody will be getting some services for free.”
His passion for football is second to his desire to see young people advance beyond the playing field and turn into productive citizens.
“I’ll still be stopping in (at Carvers Bay) to pull some kids aside and help them get college tours and those kinds of things,” Thompson said. “I always like to see kids move beyond this, football is great, but one day you will have a family and a job. You’ll need to take what you learned here, working with people and do your best, no matter what that job is.”
For now, Thompson is content to keep making the long drive home as his Bears keep his first undefeated season going in the Class AA playoffs.
Friday’s games
Third round
Class 4A
North Myrtle Beach at Myrtle Beach, 7:30 p.m.
Class 2A
Bamberg-Ehrhardt at Carvers Bay, 7:30 p.m.
Class A
Green Sea Floyds at Baptist Hill, 7:30 p.m.
This story was originally published November 22, 2018 at 1:33 PM.