The Carl Thompson legacy at Camarillo High began about 1970 when Coach Jack Lecari asked Carl to come help coach football at ACHS.  He transferred from Channel Islands High where he had helped open the new school in Oxnard by coaching football with legendary coach Joe Zeno Jr.  He also coached basketball and track for the Raiders. 

             For the next 30 years Coach Thompson began impacting the Camarillo campus in big ways.   Not only a popular teacher but he coached the varsity baseball team to several Channel and Marmonte League titles including a semi-final trip with the 1976 team that included Jack Willard and Calvin Close.  He also coached the famed Parrott brothers, Steve and Mike in baseball and in basketball.   Wherever the need was to fill a coaching position Carl was willing.  He dedicated countless hours to the young men of Camarillo High including several who went on to the professional ranks.  His former players and coaches have all expressed the utmost respect for this ACHS legend.

            As for football none of the 8 coaches since 1957 have come close to the Carl’s lifetime record of 109 wins, including 6 league titles and 2 CIF championships.  He was Athletic Director for 18 years to boot.  To win a football CIF title in Southern California is one of the most challenging and improbable things to do for a public high school.  His carefree demeanor always had a way of lulling the competition into a sense of complacency.  He would deliberately schedule very tough teams in the pre-season only to typically enter league with a losing non-league record.  From there most of his teams roared through their conference with strength and experience from playing a tough pre-season schedule.  Both CIF teams started out 0-1 only to win the next 13.  The 91 team began 1-2 before dominating the Marmonte and stunning undefeated Glendale in the first round of CIF.  Time and again Coach Thompson exceeded expectations. 

            Coach Thompson was raised in Santa Paula graduating from Santa Paula High in the 50’s where he played football as a half back and defensive back.  Some players of his era were legends in Ventura County like Tommy Davis and Mike Nunez.  Jack Lecari also donned a Cardinal uniform.  Santa Paula dominated the old Ventura League by regularly beating Santa Barbara, Ventura, Lancaster, Hart, Oxnard and Fillmore.  Carl noted one big disappointment was losing to archrival Fillmore in his senior year.  He started out being the water boy for his brother’s SP Cardinal team and caught the fever of playing football, which eventually led him into coaching.  

            After high school Carl went into the Army and for a couple of years then returned home to Ventura County before embarking his education at San Jose State where he was fortunate to rub elbows with legends like Jim Plunkett of the Raiders, decorated Bay Area College coach Lester Davis, and John Walsh of the Niners….Carl’s contact with these men were early on before they became famous but they made an impact on a young Thompson.  While attending San Jose State Carl helped coach youth sports and earned his BA and Masters degrees there along with his teaching credential.  He did student teaching at James Lick High in San Jose. 

            Coach Thompson credits his family and wife and coaching friends for his success.  There were many coaches and players he wanted to recognize but a few that stood with him through the years were Jack Lecari, Charlie Festerling, and Rio Mesa’s legend John Reardon.  He and John still hang out and recall the big rival games they coached between Rio Mesa and the Scorpions. 

            Of course a few of his fondest memories were the 2 CIF title games.  The first against Ventura at the LA Coliseum right after the 84 Summer Olympics.  That night was special as a heavily favored Cougar squad led by the late Eric Turner was leading the Scorps 14-3 late in the game and had the ball on the Camarillo 5 yard line ready to put a nail in the Scorp coffin.  Everyone in the stadium was stunned when VHS turned the ball over and watched Camarillo march 95 yards down the field…..and on 4th and Goal from the 9 pull out the biggest win in Camarillo history to that point on a 9 yard pass to Fullback Gary Litton who had dropped 2 other passes in the game.  The final was Camarillo 16-14.  There were about 12,000 fans watching as the Blue and Silver celebrated on the field where the LA Raiders and LA Rams played.   Ventura was stunned, defeated and shocked that Coach Thompson’s team had the heart to upend their coronation.  

            The second CIF title on an unusually cold Ventura County night in December of 1996 was just as improbable.  Camarillo was picked near the bottom of the pack in the Marmonte League that year and no one expected anything from Carl when Oxnard and Rio Mesa defeated them soundly in the first 2 games.  Later Oxnard forfeited their win over ACHS but in the 3rd non-league game against Hueneme Camarillo finally won, but not with a lot of flash.  The predictions looked right for a mediocre season.  Not only did ACHS win the Marmonte League but all of Ventura County was mesmerized by the “Joe Show.”   Joe Borchard helped lead a high octane offense to stun Thousand Oaks and Westlake….then in the playoffs upsetting Pasadena, Westlake, St. Fransis and finally mighty Notre Dame of the SF Valley.  In the final game, 2 botched plays to famed Justin Vargas of the Knights could have doomed the dreams for Camarillo but Carl’s defense took over the game and in front of 10,000 fans at our own stadium, Camarillo won its second CIF title holding off ND in the waning moments 20-14.  Thousands of fans flooded the field and held Carl up in celebration of an incredible run and CIF title.

             This year on October 3rd against the Ventura Cougars we will honor Coach Thompson for his enduring spirit of pouring his life into student athletes at Camarillo High from 1970 to 2001.  Several former players and coaches will be there to honor their coach and friend.  The current band of Scorpions will also recognize Carl’s legacy on this field.  Carl and his wife Susan who teaches here at ACHS live in Camarillo and spend a lot of time in Sedona AZ where they also have a home.

            Thanks Coach Thompson for some of the best sporting memories in the school’s history, but more so your dedication and countless hours during your 30 year career to our student athletes!!  God bless you in your retirement and your legacy of excellence and perseverance continues here on the campus of Camarillo High and James Ackerman Stadium.