Tarpons junior making name for himself with stellar play

South Lafourche junior Bruce Lee walks onto the football field or basketball floor and hopes to hear boos reigning down from his Tarpon faithful as often as possible.

That’s because unlike opposing fans who are often confused by the fans’ ways of cheering, Lee knows those aren’t “boos,” but are rather chants of “Bruce,” a mark that has become a trademark of the 2010-11 athletic year at South Lafourche, as the athlete has become a standout player in both football and basketball.

“There’s just nothing like hearing your classmates and your fans chanting your name like that,” Lee said. “It really gets me into the game and it gets me wanting to make another big play.”

Big plays have to be expected for the South Lafourche junior, right?

After all, he shares the same name with famous martial artist and movie star Bruce Lee.

South Lafourche’s version of Lee said he wasn’t named after the movie star and his name happened as a coincidence. But he, his teammates and his coaches say there’s not a day that goes by when Lee isn’t ribbed for his famous name.

“There’s constant jokes all of the time,” senior Jarrett Gilliam said. “We’ll ask him if he’s speaking Chinese, we’ll ask him if he knows karate, we’ll ask him if he’s praying to his Samurai. We let him have it all day long.”

Tarpons basketball coach Brian Callais said he sees the ribbing in practice and throughout the school day, as well.

Callais also added that it’s not fully a one-way street. Like on the basketball hardwood, Lee can deliver it, as well.

“He doesn’t just sit back and take it. He’s going to dish it out, and give it back, too,” Callais said with a laugh. “But it’s all in good fun and Bruce knows that. It doesn’t bother him.”

Where Lee dishes out the most punishment is on the playing field, though.

Lee rushed for 226 yards and two touchdowns, while receiving for 270 more yards as junior for the Tarpons football field last year.

He also added two interceptions.

His biggest mark was arguably made on special teams where he took a few kickoffs back for touchdowns and set up the Tarpons with good field position several times throughout the season.

In basketball, Lee is arguably the Tarpons’ best defender, often locking horns with the opposing team’s best offensive player.

Each time a play is made, the chants of “Bruuuu…ce” just get louder and louder.

“The year’s going great,” Lee said. “I didn’t really expect it, but everything’s just going great right now.”

The reason Lee might not have expected his success is because he’s a self-described late bloomer on the athletic scene.

The Tarpons standout said he started playing football at 6, but he’s the first to admit he wasn’t always a human highlight reel.

“When I first started, I was so slow,” he said with a laugh. “I used to be very, very slow. I definitely didn’t start out as one of the best players.”

Those days lasted only until junior high school when Lee said he discovered he had the gift of speed – a gift he’s cherished every day ever since.

“It was in the eighth grade, we were playing in the jamboree against Vandebilt and I used to be quarterback,” Lee said. “I gave a fake and ran a bootleg and I took it 88 yards. I was gone. I didn’t know I had it in me. That was the first touchdown I had ever scored. That’s when I knew I had this speed.”

It’s not all talent and ability that is allowing Lee to make his mark on South Lafourche athletics.

Callais said Lee is able to be successful because of his intense work ethic that sometimes ties the coach’s hands when he’s making the Tarpons’ depth chart.

“He’s a go-getter,” Callais said. “He plays hard every second and he gives it his all. In some situations, it’s really kind of hard to take him out. He makes mistake, but it’s like I tell the kids, when you go hard and make mistakes, it becomes kind of hard to take you out sometimes because you’re going hard. That’s Bruce. He’s a prime example of that. He goes hard every second he’s in there and that keeps him on the floor. He’s a great young man for us.”

With one full year to go, Lee said he’s working toward trying to get a scholarship to play collegiate football.

Whether that happens or not remains to be seen, but he knows they’ll be chanting “Bruuuuuu…ce” every step of the way.

“That’s my goal, that’s my goal – to play college ball,” Lee said. “Hopefully I can keep making a positive impact to make it happen.”

South Lafourche junior guard Bruce Lee swoops to the rim for a running layup during a game against H.L. Bourgeois. Lee has won the support of fans, who chant “Bruuuuce,” throughout Tarpons games due to his stellar play. CASEY GISCLAIR