Triumphant Terriers ride strong athletic success

Vandebilt President David Keife is somewhat of a school historian.

Keife has served as an employee of the school for each of the past 39 years and has seen the school’s athletic triumphs and defeats alike, both as a student of the school and now as a fan and administrator.

But even Keife hasn’t ever seen anything like what’s happened at his school this academic year.

Five state championships, three state runners-up and every, single varsity sport in the school qualified for postseason competition.

“It certainly has been an outstanding year for us,” Keife said. “And we’re very, very proud. I think it’s safe to say we’ve probably had one of the better athletic programs in the state.”

Ask anyone the formula for the school’s athletic success, and they will likely give multiple reasons.

But one factor on everyone’s list: coaching.

The Terriers employ arguably the best coaching staff in the state, which enables them to develop their student athletes into winners.

“The key to this whole thing is the coaches,” said Athletic Director and head football coach, Laury Dupont. “We have people who are excellent with their programs and are truly excellent at what they do.”

The numbers back up Dupont’s statement.

A quick peek at Vandebilt’s current coaches shows a history of success.

Women’s basketball’s Kathy Luke: more than 600 career wins. Softball coach Margaret Johnson: more than 500 career wins. Dupont, himself: one of a few dozen coaches in the history of the state to become a member of the 200-win club.

“We want people of faith, people who are hard working, people who respect kids, but also demand respect back from them,” Keife said. “And of course, we have to have coaches who are knowledgeable of their sports. And we have all of that in all of the people we have now.”

Teaching is also a factor in the given coach, Keife said. While the school’s status as a private school doesn’t demand their coaches double as teachers, most of them do.

Luke, a PE teacher also, agreed with Keife’s assessment and said following the team’s state title win this year that molding players into success following their careers is a large part of the job of a high school coach.

“We want these girls to be able to come back to Vandebilt someday as successful and happy individuals,” she said. “Take the lessons you learn here into your lives outside of the gym.”

But aside from the strong coaching staff, a commitment to athletics is also involved and Dupont said that starts at the top with Keife and the school’s principal, James Reiss.

“I don’t think there’s any doubt it’s a team effort,” Dupont said. “The administration is great about supporting the athletic programs. Every Monday, we meet and give them our weekly schedule and there is never a problem from there about traveling to play games on the road or anything like that. We have their support, always.”

Facilities are also a term you’ll hear thrown out by those asked about the teams’ successes.

The school is able to play most of their varsity sports on-site with some of the better facilities in the area.

Where the public system allots tax dollars for their school’s stadiums or gymnasiums, the Terriers have to raise their own funds through booster club and advancement program donations – something Keife takes great pride in, because the school wasn’t always known for its facilities.

“When the school was built in the 1960s, we had a boys’ athletic program that was rather bare-bones,” he said. “We had major sports, but we had no girls’ sports. So as our girls’ programs started to get rejuvenated in the 1970s, we had needs for some separate facilities … And we had to go out and raise money to get those things. The generosity of alumni and parents and boosters who made this all possible is what makes us who we are today.”

And lastly, the athletes – and Vandebilt has been blessed with plenty of them in the past year.

From McDonald’s All-American Theresa Plaisance to softball district MVP Saidee LeMaire, to pole-vaulting state champion Chris Watson, the school fielded solid players all season in most of their sports.

Dupont said the feeder school program the Terriers have keeps a diverse student body in the school, which helps the teams pick from plenty athletes.

But he also said the school has another distinct advantage over other area high school’s – eighth grade students.

“There’s no doubt that helps us,” he said. “That extra year of development makes a world of difference when they are seniors … If it were up to me, we’d taken the seventh grade, too, but I know our enrollment won’t allow that. But there’s no doubt that’s a big factor.”

Coaches, facilities, athletes – that’s in a nutshell the Vandebilt recipe for success, according to their athletic director.

TITLES

Girls’ Swimming

Boys’ Tennis

Girls’ Tennis

Softball

Girls’ basketball

Runner’s-Up:

Boys’ Soccer

Girls’ Soccer

Boys’ Swimming

Third Place:

Boys’ Cross Country

Golf

State Semifinals:

Volleyball

Every other sport – football, boys’ basketball, baseball, track, girls’ cross country – Terriers were postseason participants.

The 2009-10 school year was dominant for Vandebilt as the team won five state championships and were contenders in most other sports. * File photos / Tri-Parish Times