Volunteerism of local youth sport coaches is huge for area
July 30, 2013
Stubbs, players believe turnaround is near
July 30, 2013
As a football and basketball player at South Lafourche High School in the late 1990s, Larose native Ashton Dillon was known for his immense athleticism and love for competition.
More than 15 years later, that love still burns bright – Dillon is trying to share his passion with the next generation of local hoops talent.
Dillon and his brother-in-law Victor Nelson recently created the Bayou Ballers – an AAU basketball team based in Lafourche Parish.
The organization has thrived in its early days, competing at a high level in several competitions. It has also expanded into a second age group and has plans to grow even more in the next year.
“We’re growing,” Dillon said. “We had a great first year, and we aren’t going anywhere with it. We’re going to keep growing and see what we can do with this. If we ever get 35 or 40 kids in an age group, we’ll break it into two teams. It’s all for the kids – it’s all about giving the kids a chance to play and better their game.”
Dillon said the idea to create the AAU team was all about growing the sport in Lafourche Parish.
He said he watched his nephew play at the State AAU Tournament last year and realized that there were very few opportunities for kids in Lafourche Parish to play basketball year-round.
“For our kids down the bayou, there’s nothing,” Dillon said. “Once you get past your junior high and your Biddy and all that, there’s no place for them to play. So I got with my brother-in-law and we talked and we decided that we would do this.”
Dillon said his initial plans were to coach a 9th grade team in the first season. He got with several local businesses to help raise money for the creation of the organization. With the funding in hand, he got the ball rolling and made plans to start playing in the 2013 AAU season.
One of the steps Dillon took in the earliest stages was securing help in coaching. For that, Dillon said he asked local Biddy coach Damien St. Pierre for a hand.
St. Pierre coached Dillon’s daughter in All-Stars for South Lafourche Biddy Basketball. Dillon said having another quality coach on board “made all the difference in the world.”
Nick St. Pierre and Shawn Dardar also lend a hand with the team.
“Damien’s been a big help man,” Dillon said. “He told me he had been wanting to get on board with something like this because he wanted to learn more about coaching and the game itself. We get along great. It’s always important to have people who aren’t interested in themselves, but are focused on growing the kids.”
So with the extra hands on deck, the Bayou Ballers were also able to have an 8th grade team in its inaugural season.
Both Dillon and St. Pierre filled the rosters with players they knew from Biddy Basketball – both from northern and southern Lafourche Parish.
In the future, the AAU team will hold open try-outs for anyone who wishes to play.
“We are always looking for more talent,” St. Pierre said. “We will have try-outs at the start of the season, so anyone is welcome to try-out.”
But no matter how it was all put together, the teams found success.
St. Pierre said the 9th grade team started its season with a 4-1 record and won the Super Regional Tournament in Ocean Spring, Miss. From there, they also finished 2nd at the Bayou Hoops Fest in Houma.
The 8th grade team was built later in the year and only played four tournaments. But they finished 2nd place finish at the Sportsman Classic and the Showtime Tournament.
“We did great,” Dillon said. “With it being our first time, I think it’s obvious to say that it was hard sometimes. But we had a great bunch of kids, and they really did a great job. I think the thing that was the best for us is I think every kid in our program got better, which obviously makes them better for their schools when they play ball there.”
With the future looking bright, both St. Pierre and Dillon said the Bayou Ballers are looking to expand into other age groups.
St. Pierre said both he and Dillon want to grow the program as much as they can.
The Bayou Ballers plan to become a place for all kids of all genders to be able to play basketball year-round.
“We can make this thing big,” St. Pierre said. “I’m a Biddy guy first and foremost, but after Biddy, it’s officially AAU season. My plan is to keep a basketball in the hands of the kids that want to play.”
“This is not going anywhere,” Dillon agreed. “We are in our first year, and we are planning on getting more teams in more age groups for both boys and girls.
“Anyone who knows me knows that it’s all about basketball for me. I played football in college, but basketball is what’s in my heart. As long as I can, I will want to be around to teach the game to kids, because that’s what I love. I love to give these kids the opportunity to play ball like this, because it’s a totally different atmosphere. And I say that because in AAU, you see the best of the best from not just Louisiana, but all across the South and then all across America. Our kids deserve to be able to experience that, and if we keep it up, I think we’ll be able to see years down the road that our high schools will be better off.”
The Bayou Ballers eighth grade team poses with a trophy following a tournament this past season. The AAU basketball team had its first season in 2013. They hope to expand in the next year to include more age groups. They also hope to have female teams in future years.
