Vinston Thorpe Earns First Head Coaching Opportunity, Tasked With Rebuilding East Columbus
Vinston Thorpe Earns First Head Coaching Opportunity, Tasked With Rebuilding East Columbus
At just 32 years old, Vinston Thorpe understands exactly what he’s walking into.
East Columbus hasn’t had a winning season since 2012. Since 2004, the program has gone 58-182.
And yet, Thorpe didn’t hesitate.
“Man, I’m super excited for the opportunity,” Thorpe said. “I think it’s a great blessing to have the opportunity at 32 years old to lead a high school football program in the state of North Carolina. And I think it’s an even greater opportunity to lead a program from the foundation up and build something special.”
This isn’t a quick fix. It’s a full rebuild.
Thorpe is embracing it.
A Journey That Built a Head Coach
Thorpe’s path has been anything but accidental.
A graduate of E.E. Smith High School, he continued his playing career at Mount San Jacinto Junior College and UNC Pembroke before spending time professionally with the High Country Grizzlies, Louisville Steam, and Cape Fear Heroes.
His growth as a coach has come from the people he’s been around.
“I think I’ve been blessed to work under some great programs and great leadership,” Thorpe said.
That journey began at Hoke County under former NFL player George Small.
“Being able to experience the detail that he brought to the game,” Thorpe said.
At Red Springs, he learned what winning looks like under Lawerence Ches.
“Just learning the foundation of winning,” he said.
At Greene Central, under head coach Jay Wilson, he saw how relationships drive programs.
“Seeing the charisma that you can bring and add to your relatability piece with your athletes,” Thorpe said.
At Kinston, under Ryan Gieselman, he learned how to compete deep into December.
“Just learning to do whatever it takes to win,” Thorpe said. “They all braided me together to understand what it takes to build a great program.”
Forged in a Championship Run
Thorpe leaves Kinston after being part of one of the most memorable runs in the state this season.
The Vikings pushed all the way to the state championship game and scored more than 40 points in the loss, showing just how explosive the offense had become.
For Thorpe, the biggest takeaway wasn’t just the stage, it was the preparation.
“Always be versatile no matter who you’re playing,” he said. “Being able to adapt to each opponent, understand what they were good at, what they were bad at, and where we could attack.”
That adaptability and attention to detail will now become the foundation at East Columbus.
“The true dive into the details is one of the biggest things I’ll take, things that will substantially build a successful, sustainable program,” Thorpe said.
Growth With Team Copper
Thorpe’s development hasn’t been limited to Friday nights.
For the past two years, he’s worked with Team Copper, the 7-on-7 program led by former NFL receiver Terrance Copper, one of the most respected football minds in the region.
“Oh man, tremendously,” Thorpe said when asked about the impact.
“Terrance is an amazing football mind, but also an amazing man. To learn the nuances of passing the football, crafting athletes, and being a great leader, it was exceptional to my growth.”
“I know as a football coach and as a man how I’ve grown. I couldn’t hang my hat on anybody else giving me such a big push outside of Coach Copper.”
A Clear Plan for a Struggling Program
Turning around a program that hasn’t had a winning season in over a decade won’t come easy, but Thorpe’s approach is detailed and deliberate.
“We’re going to buy into every single detail that it takes to become a winner,” he said.
For him, success starts long before kickoff.
“When you methodically invest into everything it takes to build a championship-caliber individual, you not only produce that on the football field, you produce it in your community and in your classroom,” Thorpe said.
The goal is to change expectations, not just results.
“They can look forward to having an opportunity to finally be a consistent winner, sustain playoff wins, and be expected to be there,” he said.
Style of Play, Multiple and Adaptive
Thorpe’s identity as a coach is rooted in flexibility.
“I’m a very adaptive coach,” he said. “You want to run a system that’s adaptive to your roster, your numbers, and your athletes.”
Offensively, that likely means a system similar to what he helped run at Kinston.
“I want to hang my hat on a very similar offense, that air raid, power raid system,” Thorpe said.
“Being able to utilize RPOs, the run game, the intermediate pass game, the quick game, and screen game, being dynamic.”
Defensively, the mindset stays the same.
“Different fronts, different looks, allowing our kids to make plays,” he said.
Tapping Into the Region’s Identity
Thorpe also understands the type of athlete he’s inheriting in southeastern North Carolina.
“You’re definitely getting a gritty and hungry athlete,” he said.
“They maybe a little raw in places, but you never have to question there willingness to invest in developing physically and mentally as long as they trust and believe in their leader, which will always transition to success!”
That mentality, he believes, is the starting point.
The Challenge Ahead
The numbers tell the story, 58 wins since 2004 and no winning seasons since 2012.
Thorpe isn’t focused on what East Columbus has been.
He’s focused on what it can become.
“East Columbus is getting a football coach that wants to bring a level of excitement, a level of tradition, a level of winning that they haven’t been able to experience lately,” he said.
“They’re getting someone that wants to build sustainability and turn this into an amazing football program.”