nothin Crowd Crowns Coach T’s Corner | New Haven Independent

Crowd Crowns Coach T’s Corner

Maya McFadden Photo

Coach William Thompson ran a 35-year- long race of volunteering as head coach of the New Haven Age Group Track Club before he passed away in 2014. His prodigies and family honored the star Sunday as the corner of Ella T Grasso Boulevard and Chapel Street was named after him.

Coach William Thompson Way was debuted on Saturday to a crowd of 50 of Coach T’s former athletes, family, and friends.

Thompson was a staple in developing many of New Haven youth’s track and field athletes before he passed away at age 72.

Danae Rivers and Azaan Dawson.

Thompson’s prodigies Danae Rivers, 22, and Azaan Dawson, 17, shared memories of Coach T and his impact on them as athletes as early as age seven.

Rivers, a recent graduate of Penn State University, recalled Thompson being a grandfather figure to her since she joined the New Haven Age Group Track Club’s cohort of ages 8 through 13. Before becoming a national champion, Rivers said, she had a love/hate relationship with track until Coach T took time to explain the sport to her. He would take the time to answer my questions, answer my curiosities,” she said.

Rivers said Coach T’s spirit has lived in her since his passing. When Rivers became a collegiate runner at Penn State, his coaching tips stuck with her. When Rivers was named the 800-meter national champion, his voice rang in her ears during races to make sure you get out and don’t get boxed in.”

Dawson and Rivers recalled Thompson always giving them tips on how to improve even after winning a race. He taught us to always expect excellence out of ourselves, and to him that didn’t mean winning, but it meant giving everything we had that day,” Dawson said.

Coach T found the time to focus individually on all of his athletes. He would bring Dawson to Bowen Field on Saturdays to practice his starts as a freshman and drop him and his sister home from practices so they wouldn’t have to walk home late at night. He would phone Rivers before and after her high school races to give her tips and ease her nerves.

Former and current New Haven Age Group Track Club athletes.

The track club athletes ran around Edgewood Park for workouts when Coach T was head coach and will continue with the club’s newest head coach, Shauntaye Williams-Monroe.

Before receiving the plastic-covered microphone at Saturday’s ceremony, James Barber put on a plastic glove.

Barber, founder of the club and the longtime track coach for Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU), recited a quote from Frederick Douglass that makes him think of Coach T: It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”

How many people would be volunteering 30 years later for somebody elses’ kids? Not very many,” Barber said.

James Barber.

Barber said Coach T often funded trips for athletes to competitions and colleges with his own money.

The crowd gathered to also celebrate the club’s 45 year anniversary, including some of the club’s first athletes from 45 years ago.

This is what Coach T does. He bring people together, this is like a family reunion,” former head coach Major Ruth said.

Che Dawson, a distance coach for the club. recalled Thompson coming to pick up his son for Saturday practices when he couldn’t drop him off because he had work.

Williams-Monroe was passed the coaching baton by former co-head coaches Ruth and Sasha Benjamin.

Williams-Monroe’s goal as head coach is to teach, coach, and mentor like Coach T, who, she worked under for two years.

These are big shoes to fill but I am dedicated to carrying on his legacy,” she said.

Shauntaye Williams-Monroe.

The club’s cross country season this year will begin next week with about 20 athletes.

Williams-Monroe said Coach T was dedicated to preparing everyone to get on their mark, get set, and go in preperation for their lives.”

We all hope for the next generation to be better than we are, but Coach T really embodied that sentiment,” said Azaan.

Tags:

Sign up for our morning newsletter

Don't want to miss a single Independent article? Sign up for our daily email newsletter! Click here for more info.


Post a Comment

Commenting has closed for this entry

Comments

Avatar for Samuel T. Ross-Lee