May 21, 2019
Alan Thorpe was officially hired as the new head coach of the Granbury High School girls basketball team by Granbury ISD school board trustees on May 20, 2019.
With 32 years in education and 27 years as a head girls basketball coach, Thorpe is currently the head basketball coach in Stephenville. He has compiled an overall record of 244-134 with the Honeybees and amassed 535 girls basketball victories over his career.
For the 2018-19 season, the Honeybees finished 25-8 with an appearance in the regional quarterfinals. The Stephenville girls claim a competitive playoff history in recent years as regional finalists, semifinalists, or quarterfinalists each year since the 2009-10 season.
“Coach Thorpe is a perfect fit for Granbury, and he is well respected in the coaching community,” commented GISD athletic director Dwight Butler. “His record speaks for itself, and he will be a great leader for our basketball program. He is a class act.”
The new Granbury coach started his career at Blanton Elementary School in 1987 as a full-time physical teacher in Odessa. He began coaching in 1988 at Ector Junior High School, where he worked for four years with the football, basketball, and track programs. Thorpe moved to Lamesa in 1992 as the varsity girls basketball coach while also leading the cross country team as well as junior varsity boys track.
Thorpe first taught and coached Stephenville from 1996-2004, when the Honeybees had regular appearances in regional and area playoffs. He also served as head girls golf coach. Thorpe spent two years each at Burnet High School and Northwest High School before returning to Stephenville in 2008. At Stephenville, he currently coaches golf and junior high cross country in addition to girls basketball.
A native of Odessa, Thorpe graduated from Permian High School. He earned a Bachelor of Science in health from Liberty University in 1987.
Thorpe succeeds Steve Schmidt, who is retiring after five seasons at the helm of the Lady Pirate basketball program. The assignment also includes serving as the district’s girls athletic coordinator.
Pictured, Thorpe is congratulated at the board meeting by trustee Rhonda Rezsofi.
