Granbury coach Alan Thorpe retires with 659 wins, leaves lasting legacy

Ironically, Alan Thorpe had no thoughts of being a basketball coach in high school. He played football for Odessa Permian, one of Texas’ most historic programs.

“I was a wide receiver for a team that ran the ball,” he said jokingly.

Then, he attended a college that had no football program, Arlington Baptist College. Still wanting to participate in athletics, he joined the basketball team and helped them reach the National Christian College Athletic Association Tournament twice.

He got hooked on the game, so much that he became a coach. Now, after 37 years, he is retiring with 659 wins.

Thorpe’s numerous accolades include winning the prestigious Dean Weese Outstanding Coach Award during his time in Stephenville.

Thorpe, 63, smiles when he remembers winning the award because in his first stint as a head coach his teams at Lamesa shared a district with Weese and fellow legendary coaches Sam Tipton and Danny Wren.

“During that time, only two teams went to the playoffs, and my teams were going up against theirs each season,” Thorpe said. “Then, when I left and went to Stephenville, they started taking there,e and I thought, ‘Dang!’”

In 33 seasons as a head coach, his teams reached the postseason 22 times, winning at least one playoff game in all but two. This included 10 regional quarterfinal appearances, five regional semifinals, and a regional finals berth at Stephenville in 2013.

After four years as an assistant at Odessa Ector, Thorpe’s first head coaching gig was at Lamesa for four years. He spent eight seasons at Stephenville, two at Burnet, two at Justin Northwest, 11 more at Stephenville, and his final six at Granbury, where he won his 600th game.

“I didn’t think I’d get 500, definitely not 600,” he said. “But I’ve had some great players, and great players make a great coach.”

Among those great players are his own daughters. JeriLynn played for him all four of her high school years, one at Burnet, two at Northwest (reaching the regional quarterfinals), and her last at Stephenville. Ali played varsity for two years at Stephenville, reaching the regional quarterfinals and semifinals.

“That was very special, coaching my daughters,” he said. “But even though it was very special, it was very difficult.”

JeriLynn is now in marketing in New Braunfels, and Ali followed in her father’s footsteps, coaching at Granbury Middle School.

“I can give her guidance,” Thorpe said with a chuckle.

His stepson Noah, a swimmer at Permian, is a firefighter and a CrossFit coach.

Thorpe came to Granbury in 2019, inheriting a program that had fallen on some hard times following the retirement of coaching legend Leta Andrews, who amassed 1,416 victories in her career. From 2014-19 the Lady Pirates were 59-98 with no trips to the playoffs.

His teams at Granbury reached the playoffs in each of his final five seasons, advancing beyond bi-district four times.

Thorpe and Andrews, who are also friends, made Granbury one of the few schools - if not the only one - with a pair of coaches that have combined for over 2,000 wins.

“I’m glad Alan got things turned back around,” Andrews said. “We coached a lot of games against each other and were even in the same district some when he was at Stephenville. His teams were always ready and were always tough to play.”

While Thorpe is stepping away from the courtside, he isn’t finished coaching completely. He will join Lady Pirates golf coach Becky Addison, his friend since their days together in Lamesa, as her assistant.

“Alan will be a great to work with. He knows so much about the game,” Addison said. “And he’s a pretty good golfer.”

Thorpe coached golf in each of his 19 seasons at Stephenville, with his teams consistently making regional appearances and some players advancing to state.

Thorpe, who has a nine handicap, has enjoyed success playing in couples tournaments with his wife, Manon.

“She’s a pretty good player,” he said, adding with a smile, “I got my handicap down to six, but during basketball season, it’s not very good.

“Maybe now I can keep it down.”