Already the winningest football coach in state history and second nationally, J.T. Curtis added to his legacy with his induction into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.
Curtis’ latest honor comes in the midst of a historic career that will continue as he coaches John Curtis Christian (River Ridge, La.) for the 42nd season this fall. In addition to 23 state championships, Curtis has 482 overall victories to his credit.
"I've been spoiled for 34 years," said Mike Robertson, Curtis’ close friend and his offensive line coach for nearly 3½ decades. "He's (Curtis) a great coach, a great person, a great family man. If you know anything about John Curtis (the school), you know that it's all about family. There are a lot of family members who work there. It's like we say, 'Once a Patriot, always a Patriot.'"
Curtis has excelled like no other in Louisiana with an overall ledger of 482-50-6 and a state record for titles that is tied for ninth nationally. Curtis joined seven others for induction ceremonies conducted at the Natchitoches Events Center, including another football coaching legend in Lee Hedges.
Hedges, who last coached in 1984, spent most of his career at Shreveport’s Byrd, Woodlawn and Captain Shreve. He coached future NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw at Woodlawn. Hedges’ 217 victories are the most in Shreveport history and his undefeated 1973 Captain Shreve team is the last public school from either Caddo or Bossier parishes to win a state title.
Also inducted were Ben McDonald, Orlando Woolridge, Mark Carrier, Larry Wilson, Mike Vining and Teresa Weatherspoon.
McDonald and Woolridge enjoyed professional baseball and basketball careers, respectively, after McDonald prepped at Denham Springs (La.) and Woolridge at Mansfield (La.).
A Louisiana native, Carrier played in the NFL before becoming an NFL assistant coach. Wilson excelled in basketball at Central Lafourche (Raceland, La.) and then at Nicholls State, Vining coached basketball at what was then known as Northeast Louisiana and Weatherspoon starred at Louisiana Tech and in the WNBA.
Sams headed back to Salmen
Eight months after being expelled from Salmen (Slidell, La.), quarterback Daniel Sams has been reinstated and will return for his senior season.
Sams began working out with the Salmen football and basketball teams in early June and was given official approval to return to school in August from the St. Tammany Parish School Board.
After his expulsion for a non-football-related incident, Sams attended Jumpstart, St. Tammany Parish’s alternative school. At 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, Sams is considered one of the nation’s top dual-threat quarterbacks. In six games last year, he rushed for 1,295 yards and 10 touchdowns and passed for 1,033 yards and 10 touchdowns.
He committed to Kansas State in March.
In addition, Salmen picked up twin brothers Stephen and Stephon Smith, who transferred from St. Paul (Covington, La.) for their senior seasons.
Parkway coach resigns
Jim Gatlin, the winningest football coach in Parkway (Bossier City, La.) history, has stepped down both as head football coach and assistant track and field coach.
Gatlin said he will continue to teach at the school and indicated that a change in administration prompted his decision. Gatlin has coached in Bossier Parish for 27 years, including the last eight at Parkway. Before Gatlin’s arrival, Parkway had three winless seasons in five years, including an 0-10 mark the year before he began a tenure that resulted in a composite of 45-40 record.
Parkway set a school record with football playoff appearances in each of the last five years.
"We were able to get better each year,” Gatlin said. “We got equal to the other schools in Bossier Parish."
LHSAA creates guidelines
After the state legislature passed a bill that will allow home-schooled students to participate in sports at public schools, the Louisiana High School Athletic Association instituted several regulations to police the new policy;
- Home-schooled students must adhere to the same residency or attendance-zone requirements of other LHSAA students.
- A student’s participation must be approved by the principal of the school where the student will be participating.
- A parent or legal guardian must submit a written request for the student to compete in athletics within the first 11 days of the school year.
- The student’s home-study program must comply with state-mandated guidelines.
- Home-schooled students must have a C average required of all LHSAA athletes and must submit transcripts that indicate units of study, grades and grade-point average.
Track and field: Van Meter honored
Merritt Van Meter, who excelled as a senior at Metairie Park Country Day (Metairie, La.), has been chosen the 2009-10 Gatorade Louisiana Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year.
Van Meter won the Class 1A state pole vault with the country’s top effort of 13 feet, 8¼ inches. The 5-9 Van Meter also placed second in the 200-meter dash and the long jump. She holds five school records.
Van Meter posted a 3.76 grade point average and volunteered locally on behalf of a fundraising campaign to build schools in Uganda. Van Meter signed a scholarship with North Carolina, which she will attend in the fall.
