Mark Freeman wants to lead Thompson High to another Class 7A Alabama state championship

Mark Freeman didn’t see it coming.

The current Thompson High School football coach was born and raised in Fairfield before moving to McCalla and playing high school football at Bessemer Academy. He never imagined leading the life of a coach.

“I never wanted to be a coach,” said Freeman, whose Thompson Warriors (10-3) face defending champion Central-Phenix City (10-2) in the Alabama High School Athletic Association Class 7A Super championship game tonight at 7 p.m ) meet 7 at Birmingham’s Protective Stadium. “Probably the last thing on my mind was becoming a coach. I just didn’t think I would enjoy it.”

Freeman played football and every other sport he could. He loved athletics but just didn’t see himself as a coach.

“It just never occurred to me,” he said. “Honestly, if God had called me to do this at that age, I would have felt compelled to do it. I just never felt pressured to.”

But, Freeman said, God had a plan for his life. “I had to go through some things. When God came into my life and I found out that was my calling, it was over,” he said. “I was on a roll and the Lord really blessed my coaching journey.”

Indeed. Ten of Freeman’s 26 seasons as high school football coach ended with state championships. There were four at his alma mater Bessemer Academy in the Alabama Independent School Association, two AHSAA crowns at Spanish Fort and four in a row at Thompson.

That streak was interrupted last year when the Warriors lost 21-19 to Central-Phenix City in the 7A final at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Alabama.

Freeman has taken Thompson from a football program that struggled to win at all to a program that competes for a state title annually. The coaches who immediately preceded the current coach had a win-loss record of 19-33, 1-9, 2-8 and 7-23.

Two of these coaches were at the helm for just one season.

Mark Freeman has won ten state championships at three schools, including four at Thompson High School. (AHSAA Photos)

Why not be great?

Alabaster school board member Derek Henderson said Freeman (104-23 in four seasons) led the Warriors to a major turnaround.

“Talking to him, it was his vision,” Henderson said. “It was his vision of what we could be. Thompson had some success in the 80s.”

It helped, he said, that Alabaster split off from the Shelby County School System and formed its own system. “It made it a little easier to decide that this is the direction we want to go,” he said.

Freeman said, “I think what we sold to these people, these young men, is if you’re going to do something, why not take the risk of being great?” When I got here, we hadn’t had Hoover for 20 years beaten. We just hammered into them the belief, the hard work and the fact that we love them.

“We knew it wasn’t going to be easy,” the coach said, “but we knew it was time to try to make this place a great place.” Man, it was God lifting us up blessed all the way. I think this place was as run down as it could be at that time.”

That, says Freeman, is when the Lord does his best work, “when it looks like something can’t be done.” All the glory goes to Him for every victory we’ve ever won here. The Lord really had a hand in everything that was successful here.”

Freeman’s early life was marked by tragedy when he lost his father in his final days as a seventh grader. He says this has helped him guide some of the young men in his care.

“I was kind of a hurt, angry young man,” the coach recalled. “The whole time I was kind of angry and didn’t understand why my father wasn’t with me anymore. While I’m in my early 20s, you live with the belief that your father died young (and that you will probably die young).

“I did certain things — nothing against the law,” Freeman said. “I hung out too much and was with the wrong crowd for a bit. Everything changed when I met my wife (Vicki). She wouldn’t take it anymore. I had to make a decision and it wins every decision in my life. Thank God the Lord put my wife in my way.

Thompson coach Mark Freeman speaks with quarterback Trent Seaborn. Freeman believes God has placed him in a position to influence young men. (contributed)

On a mission

The Thompson coach said he steered his life’s path by approaching his coaching career as if it was his mission.

“I’m far from a preacher, but I love the Lord,” he said. “As I embarked on this, I sensed that the Lord had called me into this mission of winning young men. I look back on all of my experiences that God has given me and it has given me much more understanding for some of my children who may not have a father.

“I think I’m much more attentive to some of their needs and situations where they’re acting out a little bit,” Freeman said. “I believe God put me through all of this and I believe he had his hand on me. I think I just go back to the pain of my life, so many days as a coach and all those kids, all those young men. I’m truly blessed every day when I get to do this.”

Mark Freeman (left) most recently led his Thompson Warriors to a state championship against Auburn High School in 2022. (AHSAA Photos)

Mark Freeman last led his Thompson Warriors to a state championship against Auburn High School in 2022. (AHSAA Photos)

2024 AHSAA Super 7 schedule

Wednesday December 4th

Class 1-5A Flag Football: Moody vs. Montgomery Catholic, 1 p.m

Class 6-7A Flag Football: Spain Park vs. Central-Phenix City, 3 p.m

Class 7A Championship: Central-Phenix City vs. Thompson, 7 p.m

Thursday, December 5th

Class 3A championship: Houston Academy vs. Mars Hill Bible, 11 a.m

Class 1A Championship: Maplesville vs. Wadley, 3 p.m

Class 5A championship: Moody vs. Catholic Montgomery, 7 p.m

Friday, December 6th

Class 4A championship: Jackson vs. Cherokee County, 11 a.m

Class 2A championship: Tuscaloosa Academy vs. Reeltown, 3 p.m

Class 6A championship: Saraland vs. Parker, 7 p.m