Lafourche Parish councilman serves as football referee

As a member of the Lafourche Parish Council, Rodney Doucet makes tough calls on a daily basis.

But when fall comes around, the District 8 councilman can be seen making calls of a different kind.

That’s because Doucet doubles as a Bantam, high school and junior high football referee.

“As much as I’m a football fan, to be close to it on the field as a ref is so much better, because the game is right there,” he said. “It’s an incredible experience.”

Doucet began officiating Bantam Football with sons Wes and Joseph, and now the elder Doucet joins the youngster Joseph on high school sidelines.

“It was to spend more time with Joseph to form a better relationship with him,” he said. “It was a good thing to see him every Monday after we have an officials meeting then go out to eat after and talk.”

As officiating rookies last year, the Doucets refereed games from the field for junior high and junior varsity, but they worked the clock for the Friday night varsity games.

“[Joseph] ran the 40-second clock, and I ran the big clock,” the councilman said. “Now if you go to a game, and somebody doesn’t show up – boom – you have to go on the field. Or if a ref gets hurt – boom – on the field.”

The Doucets will most likely choose to remain in the booth for next year’s varsity action.

“The Friday night games are just so fast,” he said. “Usually they say about three years of running clocks before you get yourself on the field [Friday nights].”

But Doucet still looks forward to seeing the play up-close-and-personal for junior high and junior varsity games next season.

“I had to get into an exercise program for my heart, and chasing all these football players across the field is quite interesting,” he said. “It’s keeping me in shape, and I’m really enjoying it.”

Last year, the elder Doucet spent his time as a line judge, but during a scrimmage between Terrebonne and Vandebilt two weeks ago, he got his first taste between the lines at umpire.

Fortunately for inexperienced officials like Doucet, the spring scrimmages are designed for training purposes for both players and officials.

“There was a guy standing behind me saying go here, go there, don’t do that,” he said. “When you see a referee get hit, he wasn’t doing what he’s supposed to do and he wasn’t in the right place. It’s scary. No doubt about that.”

Doucet said the Tri-parish area is in need of high school and junior high officials, and he encourages anyone interested to attend the first referee meeting July 5 at Thibodaux High School.

“We’re going to do class work training, and this year we’re going to do on the field training,” he said.

Doucet said officials receive about $40 per game plus fuel costs to the stadium, but the area attempts to keep its officials calling games close to home to reduce travel costs.

“Wherever you live, that’s the game they try to get you to ref at so you don’t have to travel,” he explained.

Even though most Bayou District officials went to one of the schools they may be officiating, Doucet said he has never seen any favoritism.

“As soon as those guys hit the field, it’s strictly business,” he noted. “You don’t see teams. You see young men playing football, and you want to make sure they play by the rules.”

Lafourche Parish Councilman Rodney Doucet trains to be an official during the May 13 scrimmage between Vandebilt and Terrebonne. * Photo by CASEY GISCLAIR