It's a wrap - coaching career comes to an end!

The tears have been spent, the goodbyes from the banquet have ended. The career of Coach Marty Luquet ends with the numbers 447 - 251, and that's it. One more function tonight, a retirement party with close friends, former players, and coaches. Is it really over, no more practices and games. Will I miss it when they start up again? Sure I will. If I miss it too much, I will consider doing it again.

I would really like to try my hand at the next level.  I have applied at two colleges, three times. I never could convince an athletic director put to his job at stake by hiring a high school coach. It doesn't matter how good you are, they want collegiate experience. I had a year as an assistant coach at Nicholls State University, but I guess 1987 is too far in the past.

I loved coaching high school players -- well not all the time. I remember one night after a terrible performance by the Chargers of O.Perry Walker.  I walked in the house miserable. My wife Cheryl (Daniel and Courtney's mom), was waiting to see her husband. I growled at the dog, ignored her welcome home hug and plopped on the couch with a beer, still seething about the loss. She tried to console me about making a living out of training 16, 17, and 18 year old kids. She mentioned how wonderful a job I was doing with them, when their parents couldn't even get them to clean their rooms or put out the garbage. I was having none of this, even though I knew she was right. Then she hit me right between the eyes, "Why don't you quit". QUIT? QUIT?  I asked her if she was crazy, "I love coaching."  Her response was, "Then act like it." I have acted like it for the rest of my career.  I love it.

I will never forget how excited Lori and I were when I went back to coaching after eight years as an assistant recreation director. I came home excited and told her I got my name back. "Coach." She was as excited as I was. She saw the love in my eyes. It was a special moment.

Lori and I have had many special moments connected with my coaching. There was the State 5A Championship Tournament in New Iberia in 2003. We were on the verge of beating Barbe and Wade LeBlanc , a major upset in 2003. The tension was incredible and Lori was feeling it too. She had recently lost her brother Rhett in a car accident, and was calling on him to help out here. "Give me a sign Rhett," and a dragonfly landed on her knee and she freaked out. We won and our whole family now uses dragonflies as a symbol for Rhett. We have dragon flies everywhere. Thanks Rhett, cause Wade LeBlanc was real good.

In my first  season at Destrehan, I coached my son Daniel. He helped lead the Wildcats to the State Tournament for the first time in school history (2002). We lost to Jesuit (Jesuit will need its own blog) in the quarter finals. Trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the 6th, with two outs, I tried to straight steal home with a freshman (Tyrone Wethers, he turned out to be real good). But he was out. We ended up losing 6-3, but it set my reputation as a gambling,  anything-goes coach. Daniel drove in our 1st run in that game and went  2-for-3 on the day. Now he's following his father's footsteps, coaching (football)  and loving kids. I even got him to coach baseball one season -- so he was there to see me win my 400th game. That was a special moment.

I couldn't write about coaching without talking about my biggest fan. My daughter Courtney lives and dies with every game I coach.  She loves watching my teams, and I just love her. She was a senior at Destrehan in 2004, which just happens to be the best team I ever coached (sorry other 24 teams). This team came into the pre-season nationally ranked at #7. The 1st weekend we go to Catholic High in Baton Rouge and play the #3 team in the country, Nova from Florida. We were so excited. We lost the next day to Catholic and they dog piled on game 3 of the season. We never lost again to for 31 games. Unfortunately we needed to win 34 to win the state championship. It was still awesome, what a year. Courtney was front and center for every game and still is.  I love her so much.

My final child Lora Leigh couldn't care less about baseball. She did want me to stay as the coach, because she likes scaring the middle school boys about having to play for her dad.  She loves her dad but not baseball. She came to my last game and wore head phones, laid on a blanket and faced away from the field. She is kind of a fan of the concession stand.

My love Lori will miss it the most. I admit that the most perfect place in the world is the 3rd base coaching box. I am never more confident than when I am standing there. It's my perfect world. Lori just likes my swagger on the field and in the stadium. Destrehan baseball belonged to me!

Now it doesn't.  DHS baseball does not belong to me anymore. I am having trouble letting it go as it has been a part of me for so long. The progam is in good hands, the players will still work hard. The winning tradition will continue, just without me.

But tonight will be fun, Lori has invited everyone I care about. She will be at my side as I get past this and we will have a wonderful life together. Hopefully at a beach somewhere, thanks Lolo, I love you.

The season is off and running

When I received our tournament schedule I had to laugh. I love to play a tough schedule, but come on.

The first weekend tournament had us opening with perennial powers in Louisiana. The first game was against defending 3A champion Parkview Baptist (the preseason #1), followed by three time district 5A champion Dutchtown. The first Saturday would see us play St. Amant. which eliminated us from the playoffs last year. The second game on Saturday would conclude the Trey Richardson Tournament with defending 5A state champion Catholic High of Baton Rouge. We held our top pitcher for Monday, when we were scheduled to play the #6 team in the country (Baseball America), and #1 5A preseason team in Louisiana, Barbe High School of Lake Charles.

Having to play all five of these games against quality teams on the road was a taunting task. We tried to prepare for the season, but extreme cold and many rainy days cost us precious practice days. Everyone had the same problems, though, and at least we have an indoor facility to work in.

The decision to hold our best pitcher, Kade Granier, for Barbe on Monday was a calculated risk. Losing three of these games would certainly put us in a very bad spot in the power ratings. The power ratings are even more important this year with two rounds of best 2 out of 3 series in the playoffs. The top four seeds will hold a huge edge and get to hold two series at home. How hard will it be to go into a good team's home and take two games with a hostile crowd and sleeping in hotels? Not an easy task for any team.

Thursday's game versus Parkview was our first test. Watching them take infield I knew that their ranking was accurate. They're big, strong and talented, but I looked forward to the game. I know our team will scrap. We won't win any contests because of our imposing size. We have one player who is 6'5" (Granier), and the rest of my starters are under 6'0". We will fight for every pitch, try to win every at bat, but we sure won't scare you.

But a close game became am 11-2 win with bunts and running. We hit three bunts in one inning, and all three drove in runs. Senior pitcher Ryan Brewer kept Parkview down with three strong innings, and sophomore left hander Tyler Winters picked up the win with two hitless innings, striking out four. Ace Kade Granier threw two innings to pick up the save. We were off to a good start.

The Dutchtown game was close.  Starting pitcher, junior Nick McClendon, threw five quality innings and sophmore Brandon Wild threw two scoreless innings in relief. Clutch two-out hitting kept us 2-0. In the third inning,  Jacob Cambre drove in Granier, who singled and moved to third on Brewer's double to left, and Randy Harveys sacrifice fly plated Brewer for the 4-2 lead. Granier hit a long 2-run homer in the fourth to extend the lead to 6-2.

Game three was our first loss of the season, as St. Amant put on quite a hitting display. St Amant had 8 hits and score 6 runs against starter Junior Austin McDonald. Loagan Babin threw 2 2/3 hitless innings in relief giving us a chance to win. Granier hit his second home-run of the season in the 5th, but we couldn't piece together another treat and lost 6-5.


The second game against Catholic High was a tremendous display of hitting leading to a 12-4 win. The outcome was never in doubt. Sophmore left-hander Cole Martin threw 4 1/3 innings, allowing six hits and four runs.Senior Hunter Abadie finished with 2 2/3 perfect innings of relief. Granier had a perfect 4-for- 4 day, with his 3rd home run in three games. Brewer had three hits and Randy Harvey had two in the win.

The #6 team in the country, still took us lightly as they prepared for Monday's game. Barbe has 7 players who have committed to D1 schools. My players were ready from the time they arrived at school for the 3 1/2 hour bus ride on a yellowbird. The kept talking about "being on the map" and letting everyone know we were going to be contenders. Sam Steib got the Bucs attention with a long two run homer in the top of the first. Granier was outstanding on the mound, giving up three hits and striking out six. His biggest test came in the fifth, when Barbe loaded the bases with no outs. A hit batter, an error and a walk left the game in doubt with the score 5-2. But Granier struck out the side and only a passed ball allowed Barbe to score, cutting the lead to 5-3. Hunter Abadie and Ryan Brewer both hit doubles to drive in big runs.

This start is a credit to a bunch of players who care about each other. They never think they can't win and play with a chip on their shoulder. These guys are playing hard because they love it, they don't care if their underrated. They just want to get on the map!