Tompkins named AD at Walpole High
Bill Tompkins has bled blue and orange since he first arrived at Walpole High in the fall of 1973, straight out of Springfield College.
He has passionately directed the Walpole baseball program to noted success the past 31 seasons. The school's inaugural girls' soccer coach, he paced the sidelines for 22 years and he's also served as a basketball assistant. Over the past three decades, he's worked tirelessly on behalf of Rebel athletics.
And now, fittingly, he will oversee the entire department.
Emerging from five final candidates, Tompkins has been named the school's athletic director, replacing Jim Erker, who had stepped in on an interim basis for sixth months after the abrupt resignation of varsity football coach/AD Danny Villa in late December. Villa was indicted in March for the alleged rape of a 15-year-old female student at the school.
"There were a lot of quality candidates, and I just told (Superintendent Lincoln Lynch and Principal Alan Bernstein) that I would give 100 percent, that's all I can do," said Tompkins. "It will be an honor to represent Walpole High sports and the school system."
Tompkins had applied for the position in the past, but you have to "try, try, try again," he said.
That same type of determination, from coaches to players, and "how the parents and fans support the school system," is behind the athletic program's perennial success, according to Tompkins.
Over the next two weeks, he will work with Erker, his longtime friend and mentor, to make the transition as seamless as possible. "I'm excited, nervous, and up for the challenge," said Tompkins.
Erker, who will officially retire, for the second time, on June 30th, said that Tompkins "is a great choice."
"You have someone who is a passionate advocate for Walpole High School students and student-athletes, he's a terrific role model, a superb teacher and he's universally respected."
Erker is not going anywhere, "I'll still be around to help out," he said, but his days as an administrator and coach are over.
Summing up the last six months, and the difficult situation that he walked into, Erker said "I've never been prouder of this faculty and this staff, and the parents, it's all been about what's best for the kids," said Erker.
He noted that two weekend achievements -- the boys' lacrosse team capturing the Division 2 state title with a 17-8 win over St. John's of Shrewsbury and Chris Cameron winning the 300-meter hurdles at the New England track & field meet -- "were a great way to end the season."
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Look for updates from:
- Bob Holmes: A Reading resident (Go Rockets!) and Boston College graduate, Holmes is the Boston Globe High School Sports Editor. We remind you now that his weekly picks are often made in jest so everyone just calm down when he picks against Everett for 11 straight weeks.
- Mike Carraggi: An Everett native (Go Tide!), Mike attends Eastern Nazarene college and is entering his second year with the Globe. He'll focus on Division 1 this fall, which means he'll spend a lot of time in his hometown, which Forsberg thinks is cool because the Tide have that Fried Dough cart.
- Emily Wright: A Hyannis native (Go Barnstable Red Raiders!), Emily is a senior at Emerson College and has been with the Globe since the end of July. She'll cover Division 1A and will be the first intern we've trusted to navigate her way to Dennis-Yarmouth or any other school on the Cape.
- Mike Grossi: A Lexington native (Go Minutemen!), Mike attends Northeastern and has been with the Globe for two months. He'll cover Division 2 and 2A and unsuccessfully lobbied to include Lexington in the preseason Top 20.
- Jonathan Raymond: A native of Benicia, Calif. (a suburb of San Francisco), Jonathan attends Northeastern and has been working at the Globe since the end of June. He will be focusing on Division 3 and is likely woefully underprepared for covering a game in a foot of snow.
- David Carty: A native of West Bridgewater (Go Wildcats!), David is a senior at Emerson College and has been working at the Globe for a year. He'll cover Divisions 3A and 4 because, "small school ball is in my blood."
- The bench: You'll also catch updates from our regional contributors, including Globe North's Julian Benbow and South's Monique Walker. Correspondent Brendan Hall will have updates from the Globe West coverage area and will often try to sneak in Central Mass. news.
