Nick Thompson has seen soccer from just about every angle. 

He has lifted national championship trophies as a player at Messiah University. He has stepped onto professional playing fields with the Carolina Railhawks and Pittsburgh Riverhounds. He has coached Division I and Division III programs, helped guide nationally ranked teams and contributed to NCAA tournament runs at places like the University of New Hampshire and Williams College. 

And yet, when asked what all of that experience has given him, his answer is simple.

“Perspective.”

That perspective, earned through wins, losses, starting roles and support ones, now comes to Western Reserve Academy, where Thompson has been named the Director and next Head Coach of the Boys Soccer program. 

Most recently, Thompson led the Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy (CVCA) to one of the strongest stretches in program history, including a 17-game unbeaten run and state semifinal appearance. Prior to joining CVCA, he spent two seasons as an assistant coach at the University of New Hampshire under Marc Hubbard, now the head coach at the North Carolina State University. During his tenure, Thompson played an integral role in the Wildcats’ sustained success, as the program compiled an outstanding 23–3–4 record, captured America East championships in both seasons and earned NCAA Tournament berths each year.

But for him, success has always meant something broader than banners and rankings.

“I’ve coached high-level players, younger players, summer campers,” he shared. “What I enjoy most is seeing kids grow and develop, in whatever ways those are.”

High school soccer, in particular, holds special meaning. He still speaks with admiration about  the coaches who shaped him — mentors whose influence extended well beyond the field. Their impact informs how he sees his own role today.

“I hope I can be someone they look up to and try to emulate in some way.”

That sense of responsibility runs through his coaching philosophy. Thompson talks often about trust, about building authentic relationships so players know they are valued first as people. He believes that when that foundation is in place, growth follows.

“When you have that trust, you can really push them to grow and be better every day. It’s incredible to see what kids can do when they really feel that belief.”

His own playing career taught him the importance of leadership and serving your team. After experiencing seasons as one of the top players and seasons with less time spent on the field, he came away with an indisputable truth. Both roles mattered.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re one of the top players or someone who gets less playing time,” he said. “Everyone plays a vital role on the team in some capacity.”

And it’s this belief that shapes how he defines accountability. Standards matter. Effort matters. Doing things “the way they ought to be done,” as he puts it, matters. But correction without care, he knows, falls flat. Thompson will describe relationships as a bank account; you make deposits and withdrawals. Without deposits of time, attention and trust, there’s nothing to stand on when hard conversations come.

“Your players need to know you have their best interests in mind.”

Soccer itself reinforces this lesson. It is, he reminds his players, a game of mistakes. Missed passes. Missed shots. Goals conceded. The difference-maker is response.

“We’ll focus a lot on positivity in training,” he shared. “It’s all about how you react — how we talk to ourselves and how we talk to each other.”

Thompson wants to see a team where athletes pick each other up after setbacks. He wants resilience that’s rooted in connection. He’s coached teams before that weren’t the most talented on paper but were bound tightly together, and these teams improved dramatically not just because they worked relentlessly, but because they loved and trusted one another.

Looking ahead, Thompson’s vision for boys soccer at WRA is ambitious but characteristically holistic.

“The goal is to be the best place in the country to play high school soccer,” he said. “But that means more than just wins and losses.”

To him, it means exceptional culture, clear standards, deep relationships and a program that reflects the strength of the school itself — its students, its faculty, its community, its campus.

“If you’re chasing relationships, working hard, holding each other accountable — those are what lead to results in the end.”

In the end, though, when he imagines players looking back years from now, the measure of success becomes personal.

“I hope what they remember is how much I cared about them,” he shared. “I hope that years from now, 10 or 15 years from now, they’ll say — ‘That guy had my back.’”

With championship experience, professional perspective and a deep belief in connection and character, Nick Thompson arrives at Reserve with both expertise and intention, ready to build not just a competitive program, but a community.