Those workouts are still fresh in Thompson’s mind.
“How many people can say April Ross came to your practice?” Thompson said.
Even without the AVP star and former Sailors standout around, the games played during practice at Newport Harbor sometimes trumped the ones in a real match. Practice turned out to be that competitive. One time it got a little out of control. During a drill toward the end of the regular season, the Sailors turned against each other.
“There was so much going on that a huge fight almost broke out,” Thompson said. “Players argued the score in the game. Some didn’t believe the score and accused the other players of cheating. It was a big eye opener.”
Coach Dan Glenn had enough of the verbal jousting. He said he actually lost his cool and intervened.
The message the man in his 24th year at Newport Harbor sent was clear. The talented Sailors weren’t going anywhere unless they stopped the in-house fighting.
“We need to trust each other,” Glenn told his players.
The Sailors listened, because without each other, say goodbye to any playoff run.
The one thing Thompson hates the most is losing. She made sure Newport Harbor never lost in the final two months of the season.
The Sailors closed things out with 11 straight victories. Three stood out to Thompson.
Obviously, the sweep of Salinas in the state title match at UC Irvine on Dec. 5 ranks up there. Tougher than claiming Glenn’s fifth state crown was reaching the match against Salinas.
Four days earlier, Thompson played a vital role to the Sailors pulling off a five-game upset at Dos Pueblos of Goleta in the Southern California Regional final.
