How GCT Gets To Host The 5A State Tournament, Aaron Thornton

In this episode, we sit down with Aaron Thornton, the Athletic Director at Greene County Tech, as he prepares to host the State Tournament next week—the first time in a decade since Tech last hosted in 2012 and 2015. A Batesville native, Thornton shares his journey through coaching at Hoxie, GCT, Springdale, Harrisburg, and now back at GCT as the AD. He gives us an inside look at what it means to be an Athletic Director, describing his role as “fighting fires,” managing budgets, purchase orders, and logistics, all while being a constant presence at games. Thornton also opens up about losing his father at 17 and how that shaped his approach to coaching. He emphasizes the GCT coaching philosophy: “Coach them hard, but love them harder”. Plus, he shares a powerful story about Jason Smith’s impact and the significance of the ‘Practice Player of the Week’ award. And of course, no episode would be complete without a classic story about Ronnie—a must-listen moment! Tune in for a behind-the-scenes look at high school athletics, leadership, and the heart behind coaching.