Courtesy: AFCA http://www.afca.com/ Vince Thompson (L), Director of Media Relations, and McCall Parrish (R), Media Relations Assistant, started their new positions at the AFCA in June 2010.

The American Football Coaches Association announced that Vince Thompson has been named Director of Media Relations. Thompson moves up from Coordinator of Publications, a position he held for the past six and a half years. He takes over the position vacated by Todd Bell, who left to become Director of College Rugby for USA Rugby.

“As a member of the AFCA team, I’m very humbled by this promotion and couldn’t be happier,” Thompson said. “I get to work with great people and great coaches. I have loved working for the AFCA for the past six and a half years and I look forward to many more in this new position.”

Thomspon has spent six and a half years as the AFCA Coordinator of Publications, from December 2003 to May 2010. He was the editor for the AFCA Directory, Summer Manual, Proceedings Manual, Media Guide and Extra Point magazine. Thompson was the primary media contact for the Assistant Coach of the Year Award, Power of Influence Award, Trailblazer Award, Outstanding Achievement Award, Good Works Team, American Community College Football Coaches Association Coach of the Year Award, Division II Coaches’ Poll and the FCS, Division II and NAIA Coaches’ All-America Teams.

Before coming to work for the AFCA, Thompson spent three years as the Sports Information Director at Texas Woman’s University in Denton, Texas, from August 2000 to November 2003. He was the primary media contact for TWU’s five intercollegiate athletic teams and the editor and designer of media guides, game programs and various other publications related to TWU’s intercollegiate athletic programs. He provided statistics at all of the TWU athletic events for dissemination and record keeping, and helped redesign and edited content for TWU athletics website. Thompson assisted with numerous volleyball, basketball and softball tournaments held on the TWU campus, which included various University Interscholastic League and Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools state playoff games.

Thompson earned his Bachelor’s degree in Sports Management in 1999, from University of Texas in Austin, and spent one year as the Media Relations intern at AFCA before moving on to TWU.

The AFCA would also like to announce the hiring of McCall Parrish, who joined the AFCA staff in June 2010. Parrish takes on the role as the AFCA’s Media Relations Assistant. She was the Media Relations intern from August 2009 to May 2010, and begins her new position after earning her Bachelor’s degree in Journalism with a concentration in Public Relations from Baylor University in 2010.