Former player rallies support for Nicholls

With spring practice not even two weeks old, the Nicholls football team is doing its best to master a new offense and become acclimated to new coach Charlie Stubbs.

They will be making the new transition with a few new supplies, too, thanks to a recent donation by a few members of the community.

Toby Lafont with DL Weath Management recently donated 13 dry erase boards to the football program.

When hearing about Lafont’s donation, Chris and Tammy Haydel pitched in as well by donating basic office supplies like paper and paper clips to help the program.

The donation comes in lieu of recent budget cuts that have affected the athletic department’s budget, making it difficult for the program to find money for even their most basic necessities.

“It’s difficult to operate when you’re already on a low-budget, then you have to deal with budget cuts,” Lafont said. “Hopefully people will see this donation and then begin to do what they can.”

What Lafont hopes for is a grassroots movement among prominent former Nicholls athletes and the team’s loyal supporters to help the team in the current tough economic time.

“If you were a former softball player or a former basketball player, we’d like them to help if they can,” he said. “We want people to remember all of the lessons they learned in college athletics inside of that structure they were in, because that helped them get to where they are today if they are capable of helping out.”

Since making the donation, Lafont said he has heard whispers of others joining in the efforts, as well.

“That’s what we’re hoping for,” he said. “For those people who are able to help to do so, because there is a need.”

Stubbs said the donations go a long way in helping the team prepare for its first season.

“We have had a lot of people from the community show their support, and Toby and Chris are a clear example of that,” he said. “The coaches and I are very thankful.”

Lafont agreed and said Stubbs and the players have been grateful for the help so far.

“They are so appreciative,” Lafont said. “You can go out there and bring those guys a box of paper and they will all line up and shake your hand. They all are so responsive for the things that people are doing.”

Lafont is no stranger to the financial commitments it takes to run an NCAA athletic program.

As a football player with Nicholls from 1993-95, Lafont, a tight end, and three fellow offensive linemen started a group called the “Hogs.” The group took a picture together, made it into a team schedule and pitched it to local businesses to try to raise money for the team to be able to have their names on the backs of their jerseys.

“The coach told us that if we wanted our names, we’d have to do it ourselves,” Lafont said. “So we did it and drove out to the airport to pick them up and helped the managers stitch them on when they came in.”

The former tight end also recalled the team having to paint their football cleats black when he played because they couldn’t afford to buy black shoes for the entire roster.

“And that was before the economic problems that they had those budget problems,” Lafont said.

But in today’s troubled economic times, Lafont said he understands not everyone can make a financial sacrifice.

He said he just hopes that people begin to take advantage of the athletic programs that are sitting in their own backyards.

“Just try to go out and catch a game or two,” Lafont said. “It’s a great, family environment and I know as a former player, I can tell you those kids feed off seeing people in those seats … It’s a great family-friendly environment that is right here in the back of Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes.”