14-year-old Lao among THS’s Class of 2011
May 17, 2011Thursday, May 19
May 19, 2011
Spring football is an exciting time for players, coaches and fans throughout the Tri-parish area.
No one appears to be more excited this time around than first-year Central Lafourche coach Travis Douglas.
In his first set of practices as the Trojans’ head coach, Douglas is working hard to keep his team inspired, something he believes is a must for Central Lafourche to be successful in 2011.
“That’s the thing that I believe puts you over the edge,” Douglas said. “You heard me tell the kids that if you’re more excited and you’re more ready to play than your opponent, you’re going to beat that person 90 percent of the time. That’s what we’re trying to do here, get that excitement back within our kids.”
The team Douglas inherited is in need of a bit of an emotional kick-start.
Central Lafourche was battered and bruised throughout last season, finishing with just a 2-8 record.
“Last year, injuries just killed us,” Douglas said. “Last year, at one point, we were down nine starters. Any football team in America that is down nine starters is going to struggle.”
To top it off, the team’s former head coach, Chad Callais, resigned following the season to spend time with his family.
That opened the door for Douglas, who previously served as the team’s defensive coordinator, to swoop in and fulfill his dream of being a head coach.
“There’s a learning curve involved in making the jump from assistant to head coach,” Douglas said. “But I’m definitely excited about being the head coach at Central Lafourche.”
On the field, the biggest change fans will see with the Trojans will lie on the offensive side of the ball.
Under Callais, a coaching disciple of former Nicholls State coach Jay Thomas, the Trojans ran a triple-option-based offense.
With Douglas, that system has been completely replaced, as the team will utilize shotgun sets and many run/pass option plays from the spread formation.
That change, so far, is pretty popular with players, who say they are excited to unveil the new offense to the rest of the district.
“It’s more open. We’ve got a lot of blockers ahead of us,” quarterback Jeremiah Ballard said. “We’ve got more room to work because it’s more spread out. I like it.”
Teammate and safety Jordan Caillouet agreed and said this year’s unit is giving the team’s defense problems in practice.
“It’s definitely an upgrade from last year,” Caillouet said. “It’s been very confusing for us to guard them these first couple days on defense learning this new offense we run.”
The coach agreed, but added that it’s a work in progress, because the team has fewer practice dates to learn the offense, as the Louisiana High School Athletic Association has limited the amount of practices teams are able to have in the spring.
“That’s a big thing,” Douglas said. “If we’d have been here and we’d have been established and we’d have already had the offense and the defense put in, it wouldn’t have been that big of a deal. But coming in as the new guy and installing a new system, it definitely takes something away. I mean, we’re here until 5 or 5:30 p.m. every day. We’re having to stay out here a little longer to catch up.”
Douglas said the reason for the change in offensive philosophy was simple, he wanted to be able to more easily get the team’s athletes the football in space. Athletes are something that Douglas believes his team has plenty of as they approach the season.
“We are blessed with a bunch of athletes,” Douglas said. “Right now, we’re just trying to get them all at the right positions. We’re trying them all at different things and different spots. We’re cross training them to see who’s the best. But we’ve got some speed and we’ve got some guys who can run. It’s our job now to try and get them out on the perimeter and let them run.”
Aside from the change in X’s and O’s, players tout the biggest change they see is just with Douglas himself and his energy.
The coach is very hands-on in practice, shouting encouragement or discouragement to players, while also giving countless hi-fives or fist bumps to inspire his team.
The players say it works and they feed off their leader.
“I love it,” Caillouet said. “We definitely get fired up when he gets fired up. We absorb the energy he brings.”
Douglas said he’s glad his energy helps his team, but added he can’t help himself – it’s just in his personality to be energetic.
He’s living the dream and is excited to be on the football field this spring.
“I enjoy being out here,” Douglas said. “And I hope that every one of the kids who play for me are excited to be out here, as well. That’s what football is all about.”
