Ryan Thompson is coming home.
The former multi-sport star at Dos Pueblos High, has been named head baseball coach at Santa Barbara City College. Thompson takes over for Teddy Warrecker, who left last month after 10 seasons to become an assistant coach at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
Thompson, 33, was a four-time All-County choice in football (1993-94) and baseball (1994-95) at Dos Pueblos, where he also played basketball. After graduating in 1995, he pitched four years at UC Davis and was voted outstanding senior in 2000.
He graduated from Davis with a bachelor’s degree in rhetoric and communication and earned his Master’s in sports and fitness management from the University of San Francisco in 2004.
Ryan Thompson is the new baseball coach at SBCC.
Thompson has spent the last three years as the head baseball coach at Scripps Ranch High in San Diego, leading the Falcons to their first league championship in school history and the first third-round CIF appearance ever. The team’s records were 9-14, 19-10 and 24-8 in his three seasons.
“It’s all about controlling what you can control,” said Thompson when asked about his baseball philosophy. “Pitch and play defense and you’ll find yourself in any ball game.
“There aren’t any secrets. Just do what everyone else does and do it a little better.”
Thompson has experience working with college players. He was the head coach for the Bend Elks of Oregon in 2008 and led them to their first West Coast Collegiate Baseball League playoff appearance. He was an assistant on the Santa Barbara Foresters NBC National runner-up squad (2003) and at Cuesta College (2004-07), where the Cougars won two WSC North titles.
We are excited to welcome Ryan Thompson into the Vaquero Athletic family,“ said SBCC interim athletic director Ellen O’Connor. “His coaching success at both the high school and community college levels have prepared him well to be our head coach and continue the excellent work of Teddy Warrecker.
“His roots in the Santa Barbara community, his passion for player development and his demonstrated commitment to student-athlete achievement provide a strong foundation for Vaquero Baseball,” she added.
Thompson plans to continue the success of Warrecker, who led the Vaqueros to their first WSC title in 29 years in 2007 and took the team to the playoffs in three of the last six years.
“We want to win conference titles and regional titles,” Thompson stated. “There’s no reason we can’t go to the Super Regionals (second round of the playoffs).
“We want to take the program to places it’s never been before.”
