“If anyone is having a bad day around him, they will always walk away with a smile on their face and a new joke in their head. Coach T has been one of the most understanding people I have had throughout high school. Having him as not only my English and Film Studies teacher, but also my Head of House, has meant I have had to spend a lot of time with him. From planning daily mentor group activities, to writing papers, he has been a prime example to me of a leader. I am so grateful I have had the chance to learn leadership skills from him and I will take those with me always. I am forever going to miss his sarcasm and jokes, but I am so thankful I had the chance to be taught by him.”

— Cassidy Sullivan (former student)

I had the privilege of working alongside Greg Thompson for 17 years and can say with confidence that he brings unparalleled compassion, empathy, and expertise to every student he serves. Greg has a gift for connecting with learners of all abilities, creating a supportive environment where students feel valued, motivated, and capable of success. His calm demeanor, deep experience, and unwavering commitment to individual growth make him a trusted coach and mentor. Families seeking a thoughtful, student-centered approach to academic support will find a great partner than Thompson Academic Coaching.

- Jim McIntyre, President, Lake Highland Preparatory School

“He doesn't like to teach in a "cookie cutter" style, but can always relate to our day to day lives. I like having Coach T as a teacher because we get the chance to express ourselves by connecting lessons to certain aspects in our own lives and giving our own opinion on the topic. I believe his main goal is teaching us how to live life fully and always getting something out of everything we do. Although some may see him as subtly sarcastic, he is one of the friendliest, easy going teachers that I know. He can always make me laugh, even if it is a horrible dad joke. He knows the right way to treat others and is always ready for a selfie. There is no other teacher I would rather spend 3 hours with every day. Coach T has made my senior year memorable and I have had the absolute pleasure of being one of his students.”

— Former Student

On the first day of school Coach T said to my class, "Be careful. Senior year is going to fly by, so enjoy every moment. It will be one of the best times of your life so take it in." I sat in my desk thinking that he was crazy. I thought that my senior year would drag on, but he was right and I was wrong. The time has slipped through my fingers and my senior year is quickly coming to an end. His English class has been one of the highlights to my senior year. I am truly thankful I took it. I know that twenty years from now I will be telling my kids all of the silly things Coach T used to say.

Overall it is easy to say that my two favorite classes of my entire four years at Father Ryan have been English IV and Film Studies taught by the legendary Coach T. Both of these classes are so enjoyable that it actually makes me want to go to school believe it or not. These classes make school fun and more enjoyable, while also being very educational and helping me prepare for college. First English, my senior year of English has been my favorite English course I have taken at Father Ryan. I have learned a lot about how to write papers for college and how to communicate in the real world while sounding intelligent. Coach T makes the class, he is by far my favorite teacher at Father Ryan, and he knows how to make learning enjoyable while being educational and beneficial to us as well. I have learned how to write and make my papers better and it is all thanks to him. Writing has always been something I have been good at since I was younger and he has helped me to excel even more. Also he is one of the most wittiest teachers I have ever had, always having good comebacks to our jokes with him in class. He is one of the funniest and best teachers I could ever ask for.

Film studies is by far the most interesting class I have taken at Father Ryan. It has taught me a lot about movies, their productions, and herped me to analyze them from a critical standpoint. I have come to appreciate film and is art more and more by taking this class. I have also become exposed to great movies such as anything from Alfred Hitchcock to Christopher Nolan. Movies are one of my favorite things and to be able to take a class all about them is awesome. My appreciation for films has grown as well as my knowledge of them. I am now able to successfully critique any movie that I view and dig deeper and discover the true meanings and ideas portrayed in films. My love of movies has grown to where I can appreciate all kinds of movies anything from an Action Thriller to a Comedy or Satire. I now love movies more than iver and I hope to pass this along to my children in the future and help them enjoy movies as much as I do.

Kenneth Moss (former student)

Coach T has been my golf coach since freshman year, and a very big role model in my life. He has taught me many life lessons that I have kept close to my heart, and used in my daily life to stay on track. He has always had a calm and cool demeanor to him, which is something I try to mirror in my life. I admire how professional he seems to be, but when you get to know him, he turns into a jokester.

One of my favorite memories involved with Coach T would have to be when he watched me play

in the Tennessee State Golf Tournament during my senior year. I had qualified as an individual, and was feeling super great heading into the grand finale in Manchester, Tennessee. Coach T and I drove to the state tournament together, along with the calming presence of the "Fantastic Mr. Fox" soundtrack in the background. We talked about my goals for the day, and how he thought that I could win that tournament.

That was something that I cherished as I walked towards the first tee. I loved hearing that he had confidence in me as individual, not only on the golf course but also in society. He followed me around the golf course for the entire day, and was my biggest supporter (besides my parents). At the end of the day, the round had not gone as I had imagined, but Coach T ensured me that I would bounce back the next day and put myself into a position to walk out on top.

As the next day had dawned, Coach T met me at Father Ryan again to drive me to the tournament. That car ride was much different from the one we had had the day before. The mood was different. Coach T had this swagger about him that day, and I could feel it. He told me how this would be my last round of golf for the Father Ryan Irish, and that he wanted me to go out with a bang! I played well that day and carded a 3 under par round of 69, and that had propelled me into the top five. I shook my playing partners hands and signed my scorecard, and immediately went and gave my mom and Coach T a hug. My high school golf career had come to close, and I could not have ended on a better note. While I did play poorly on the first day, I was proud of the way I rebounded and gave myself a chance to win it, and I knew that Coach T was too.

As I look back on those two October days, I have nothing but positive memories. I was able to play the sport I loved, alongside the best teacher/mentor/coach in the world. I can assure you that without the knowledge and wisdom that Coach T had instilled in me, I would be half of the man I am today. He made me feel confident, loved, and happy whenever I was in his presence, and that is something that I will cherish for the rest of my life as I look towards my college years and starting a family.

-Palmer Sadlowski (former player and student)

Film studies taught by Coach Thompson, commonly referred to as just Coach T, has honestly opened up a new world for me. This class has introduced me to all kinds of movies that I probably wouldn't have ever watched if I wasn't in it. We have watched silent films, black and white, westerns and everything in between. Even though I may have not enjoyed all of them along the way, I appreciate the film making process and still happy I can say that I have seen something like The Passion of Joan of Arc. As I have said, this class has really opened me up to the world of film and I am so thankful for that. I actually intend on starting to go to the acting classes that my sister first went to when she started. I am going to try acting just for fun but maybe I will find a real passion in it that wouldn't have been sparked if I wasn't in this class.