By MICHAEL BOYLAN

Sports Editor

Landmark Christian School got some news that they never expected to hear last week. Their football coach and former athletic director, Bill Thorn, has decided to step down from football. Thorn has been coaching football since 1955.

His first coaching job was at Georgia Military Academy (now Woodward Academy). Over the years, he has accumulated a record of 186 wins, 83 losses and seven ties.

Thorn started his career at Landmark in 1989. The War Eagles were Region 7A runners up twice, in 1992 and 1997. They made the second round of the state playoffs three times. Thorn's record at Landmark was 64-45-1.

As coach of the War Eagles, Thorn continually drilled his team with the message that, “Given time, hard work beats talent.” Thorn's teams have always been full of hard workers, with most players playing on both sides of the ball for the entire game. It is not surprising that the team plays “iron man” football — Thorn has been known as the “Iron Man” to fans of running for years. He will run his 30th consecutive Peachtree Road Race this year.

With no football this fall, Thorn will get some time to spend with his wife of 45 years, Patty, and his four children and six grandchildren. His name will always be synonymous with coaching around here, though, because it was always clear how much he enjoyed it. “I get a big kick out of watching kids do things they didn't think they could do,” said Thorn.

Thorn isn't completely done coaching, however. He will still be coaching track at Landmark in the spring and he will coach cross country this fall. As impressive as his football record is, Landmark's boys' track team has won the state championship four years in a row.

“This had to be done at some point,” Thorn said. “This was the best time to do it for me. It might be strange at first but I'll still be around. I've still got lots to do.”

The school has not yet made a decision on Thorn's replacement as football coach.

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