Updated with more details.
Head football coach Kurt Thompson is out after six seasons at Republic. The school board chose not to renew Thompson’s contract at its meeting this week, following the recommendation by administrators.
A search committee to find Thompson’s replacement will be formed soon, according to Athletic Director Greg Garton.
“I’m looking for an energetic coach who’ll come in with a can-do, positive attitude,” Garton says. “I want to find a coach who believes in his program and can get kids to believe we can be successful.”
The decision to make a change came after a series of discussions between Thompson and the administration.
“With any personnel issue there are several ongoing meetings that occur between the administration and the individual,” says Garton. “The administration makes recommendations following those meetings, and in this case, the board supported that recommendation.”
The Tigers in 2013 will return several key players from this year’s 5-6 squad, and Garton says despite tough times in recent years, he believes the new coach will have the building blocks of a successful program.
“The positives I see are, number one, we have several good classes coming up that have been successful, and with continued hard work can be successful in high school.
“I also believe that our weight room is second to none in southwest Missouri, and our practice facilities overall are a strength,” Garton says.
“We play in the toughest conference athletically in the state of Missouri, and it is tough,” he says. “But I have a lot of faith that our community, our parents, our new coach, that we can get back on track. I truly believe that. I think we’re at a point where people are hungry for us to have a successful team.”
Thompson’s record in Republic was 24-38. He led the Tigers to one winning season, his first year on the job in 2007, when Republic was 8-2. The Tigers were 5-6 in 2012, losing in the district semifinals to Webb City.
Thompson got his start as a head coach in Webb City. He led the Cardinals to two state championships before moving to Kickapoo, where he was head coach for nine seasons. He took the job in Republic after Kickapoo.