A long-time foe of the Perham Yellowjackets will now be donning the Black and Yellow as the Perham Activities Department announces Paige Thompson as its new Head Volleyball Coach, pending Independent School Board 549 approval.

Thompson spent the better part of her high school career tormenting Perham coaches in volleyball and basketball. Thompson was a five-year letterwinner at Hawley High School where she was named Heart O’Lakes Conference Most Valuable Player in basketball and had a memorable career in volleyball as well, earning HOL All-Conference honors.

Perham Activities Director Erin Anderson said he is enthused for this new chapter and the Paige Thompson era to begin. “We are extremely excited to welcome Paige to our district and the Yellowjacket Volleyball program. Her experience as an assistant in the HOL Conference and Section 8AA these last years, and her time as a competitor, will be a huge resource for her as she sets out to bring her vision to Perham Volleyball,” Anderson said. “It will be an exciting time for our students and the community as she sets out to build on our history as well as put her stamp on the direction of Jacket Volleyball.”

Thompson continued her athletic career for a couple of seasons with the Minnesota State University-Moorhead Dragon Women’s Basketball team before starting her coaching experience as she finished her degree.

While this will be Thompson’s first head coaching position, she had the opportunity to learn under one of the HOL’s and State’s top coaches in Hawley High School’s Kathleen Rustad, where Thompson served as an assistant coach for the last two seasons.

“I am super excited to be a part of the ‘Jacket Volleyball Program. I look forward to working with the talented players and staff in the program, and I am excited to see what we can achieve together and for the culture we will create,” Thompson said. “I am dedicated to creating a positive and successful program that will help develop our student-athletes both on and off the court for years to come.”

Thompson, who graduated with an Elementary Teaching degree and a minor in coaching, has also coached several Junior Olympic Volleyball and summer basketball teams and has officiated.

Thompson said she is excited to start her teaching career and her head coaching career in Perham.