Bladen County’s Dwayne Thompson received the 2018 Dick Knox Distinguished Service Award for Volleyball by the Southeastern Athletic Officials Association (SAOA) Wednesday night at the association’s initial pre-season meeting.
The award is inscribed ‘presented in recognition of devoted service to and involvement with young student athletes of our state. Your years of service and dedication are recognized and deeply appreciated. The lives you have touched during your career are a tribute to the positive influence of high school athletics.’
Thompson was presented the award by SAOA Volleyball Regional Supervisor of Officials Bill Henderson who shared how much Thompson had worked to improve in his 18 years of high school officiating and about the tremendous contributions Thompson had made to the association.
In addition to his 18 years of officiating volleyball, Thompson has worked as a basketball official for 14 years. He served on the Southeastern Association’s Board of Directors from 2012-2018 and also as SAOA Publicity Director for the same time period. Thompson is currently the SAOA webmaster – a position he has held since 2012.
“I knew I wanted to be an official at an early age,” said Thompson. “I had a bigger interest in basketball and professional wrestling but quickly fell in love with volleyball also.”
Virginia Singletary, Thompson’s physical education teacher at East Bladen High, knew that Dwayne loved sports and asked him to be a line judge. “At one of those matches, official Kem Dudney came up to me and talked to me about volleyball officiating,” said Thompson.
Thompson began officiating high school sports in 2001 when he was 21 years old. Over his 18 years he has worked 3 volleyball regional championships and numerous state play-off matches.
“My goal is to officiate a NCHSAA volleyball state championship match,” stated Thompson.
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