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South Terrebonne High School is a prideful place — a small, tight-knit group of people who support and love their Gators as much as anything else in the world.
But few love South Terrebonne more than O’Darion “OD” Robinson.
He’s an unsung hero who has helped the school’s athletic programs in a huge way over the past several years.
Robinson, known as “OD” around South Terrebonne High School was a special education student and graduate. While a student, he was a manager for several sports.
Since graduating in 2016, he’s decided to stay around, lending a hand in literally any way he can — serving water, helping fix equipment or maybe even just lending a couple words of encouragement to players who need it most.
Athletes and coaches at the school say he’s a big help. But to OD, his role is no big deal. He just loves the Gators and would do anything he can to help see them prosper.
“I love the Gators,” he said. “I want to be a Gator forever.”
And that’s a mutual feeling and a mutual love from members at the school.
South Terrebonne faculty member and coach Justin Lirette has worked with OD for both football and basketball. He said he sees first-hand how much the young man loves the school through the effort he gives to the respective teams.
Lirette said OD is “as good of a manager as you could ever ask for,” adding that he is always wanting to do the little things to help make sure that life runs smoothly for a coach. Those things, Lirette said, are invaluable given the stresses that coaches have to go through on a day-to-day basis during their seasons.
South Terrebonne boys’ basketball coach Caleb White agrees. When OD graduated in 2016, he was set to leave the school, but didn’t want to leave the programs altogether.
The Gators decided that he’d still be welcome to be part of the athletic programs as time allowed. To date, he still is a regular mainstay and fixture at several South Terrebonne High School athletic sporting events.
“He will always be welcomed here,” White said. “We love him here. We want him here.”
“He is always there to help in any way possible,” Lirette added. “He can run the scorer’s table at practice. If the janitors are in here, he’d be willing to help them clean up or do whatever they’d need. If our players need something, he’s on top of it, as well. He does an excellent job.”
And there was also that one time that he did get to play with the Gators, showcasing that he, too, has a knack for helping the Gators score points in an athletic setting.
In 2016, OD was a senior. He was a multi-year manager and Senior Night was fast approaching for the Gators.
White wanted to reward OD for his efforts, so he allowed him the opportunity to dress out with the Gators in one of the final junior varsity games of the season.
Then, in the final stages of the game, he got to play.
OD has always loved to play. He’s often seen shooting jump shots at Gators’ practices.
With his opportunity to suit up and shine, he took full advantage, sinking a free throw and then a deep, high-arching 3-point shoot in the final seconds of the game, which sent fans into a frenzy.
Gators’ players and coaches still call it one of the most emotional and neat things they’ve ever seen.
For OD, he says it was a memory he will always cherish and will never soon forget.
“It was the best moment of my life,” he said.
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