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September 17, 2013
Longtime local volleyball coach Chip Didier was happy in retirement – he enjoyed the hunting, fishing and free time that came with the territory.
But the opportunity to build one last program from the ground up proved to be too good to pass up for the prestigious coach.
For that reason, Didier decided to dust off the ol’ clipboard one last time and take his talents and wisdom to Central Lafourche.
Coaching with his daughter Amy Angle, Didier said he is embracing his final challenge – building the Lady Trojans from scratch – the same way that he helped build four other Tri-parish programs (Ellender Junior High, South Terrebonne, H.L. Bourgeois and Terrebonne) throughout 22 seasons and four decades as a head coach from 1976-2009.
“I really didn’t want to do this at first – I was retired and I really love being retired,” Didier said with a laugh. “But this was something that Amy wanted to try, so this is where I’m at right now. We’re working together and trying to build this program here at Central Lafourche so that she can take it over fully real soon.”
“High school volleyball is different,” Angle said. “The pace and the speed – it’s all so much faster. I just wanted him here to ease me through the transition and to help make everything flow more easily.”
Didier has been “retired” since the 2009 season – his final year with Terrebonne. During that season, the longtime coach went out in style, coaching the Lady Tigers deep into the state playoffs.
That run was one of many during Didier’s prestigious career which has included more than 600 wins, two state championships (both with H.L. Bourgeois) and two state runner-up finishes (one with H.L. Bourgeois and one with South Terrebonne).
But since stepping aside from the game in an official capacity, Didier has remained active in the sport.
Since his final year at Terrebonne, Didier has served in a consultant/assistant coach capacity at St. Amant High School where he helped his daughter Allison Didier-Leake turn the Lady Gators into a state powerhouse.
The coach has also continued to work with the Bayou Bandits Volleyball Club – the youth club he started years ago to grow the quality of play in our area.
But that semi-retirement came to a close this past year when Central Lafourche administration hired Angle to head their program.
Angle has been around the sport her entire life with the Bayou Bandits and middle school programs. But the Lady Trojans’ gig is her first prep job. Upon the hire, she immediately sought out Poppa Didier for his wisdom.
He accepted and the challenge was officially under way.
“Allison got him for a few years, but then I got my turn,” Angle said with a smile.
With the Lady Trojans, a lot of work will need to be done to make this final project a success.
Central Lafourche is not historically a “volleyball school” like H.L. Bourgeois, Terrebonne and other local schools that annually compete in postseason play.
The biggest reason for that is the culture within the school. Didier said that his players are inexperienced – regardless of classification or varsity experience.
“You’ve just got to get the kids committed to build any program that expects to have success,” Didier said. “That means that the kids have to play more than just two months out of the year. If your kids are only playing two months out of the year, you’re going to be limited. With this group, that’s what they’ve done. We’re trying to give them the fast track and get them going as quick as possible, but our kids just simply don’t understand the game – even our older players. They just haven’t played enough.
“Our kids have given amazing effort. They would run through a wall for us. The problem is they just don’t know how to run through a wall yet. It’s just going to take time.”
Angle agreed and said she and her father can noticeably see opposing players adjust to things quicker than the Lady Trojans.
“We’re not able to adjust in a game situation,” Angle said. “Our ladies need to go through every possible situation in a game to really understand what to do. It’s trial by fire.”
“And it drives me crazy,” Didier added with a laugh. “I’m used to the higher levels. You have to be patient, but I’m not patient. They say you get more patient as you get older, but I get less patient, I think.”
But while the growing pains are going on, the Lady Trojans do field a talented group of players.
Central Lafourche started its season winning five of its first nine games.
The Lady Trojans are led by seniors Taylor Huval, Sloane Ledet and Darrian Owens and freshman Hope Breaux – all of whom could compete for All-District honors.
Didier said his goal for the Lady Trojans is simple – postseason play.
“I don’t care if we’re the last team in,” Didier said. “That’d be good for this program just to get in.”
It’d be another step forward for what will likely be the coach’s final remodeling act.
“I’m retired, but I’m not retired,” Didier said. “I don’t plan to be here long, but we’re building and building takes time. We like where we’re headed and we think the future is bright for Central Lafourche volleyball.
“But I love retirement. I won’t be here too long. I’ll just enjoy it while it lasts and we’ll see where it leads us.”
Central Lafourche volleyball coaches Chip Didier and his daughter Amy Angle pose for a photo before a Lady Trojans’ practice. Currently “semi-retired,” Didier has returned to the bench to try and rebuild the Central Lafourche volleyball program. If successful, it will mark the fourth quality rebuilding job for Didier, who has a pair of state championships in his career.
