By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor
The L.A. City Section lost one of its finest and well-respected coaches when San Pedro High cross country and track pilot and teacher Bruce Thomson collapsed and died during a morning workout on San Vicente on July 6 at the age of 61. In his 21 years with the boys and girls programs he led the Pirates to 15 City cross country titles and served for many years as the football P.A. announcer.
Since taking the reigns in 1998 Thomson coached the girls to nine section titles and the boys to six, as well as numerous runner-up finishes and state finals appearances.
Thomson befriended former Pali High coaches Ron Brumel, Bob Macias and Gwendolen Twist and was looking forward to assisting current Dolphins coach Rob Hockley in the fall.
“It’s such a shock… he was such a great guy and one of the few who accepted female coaches and shared his knowledge freely with everyone,” said Twist, who lives in the Alphabet Streets and is now the head coach at St. Monica Catholic in Santa Monica. “A lot of the Paul Revere track and cross country kids knew him because he was helping out with the school’s PEP program this year. He was truly a good coach and this is very sad news for the running community.”
Thomson served on the City Section’s Board of Managers and Awards Committee. He was the CIF State Model Coach of the Year in 2016-17.
“I was so saddened to hear of the passing of my friend and former ‘rival’ Bruce Thomson, who collapsed while doing what he loved… running,” Hockley said. “We were about to start coaching together. He was a fantastic person, a great coach and a real class act. May he rest in peace.”
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