Spring Game Left Coach Sid Excited

Central’s annual spring football game left legendary Central head football coach Sid Edwards invigorated and excited about the future. He has a new squad and some additions to his coaching staff that should create a lot of excitement for Central Wildcat fans.
“Every day I come to work, I feel like it’s my first day on the job! We’re putting a new shine on things, and it’s exciting,” the former Louisiana 5A Coach of the Year said. Coach Sid’s staff this year will include Ken Hilton, Justin Hutchinson, Greg Morris, Joey Jarreau, and Zach Morris.
The Central Wildcats face a district which is steadily improving and is now perhaps the strongest 5A district in the state athletically. This year the district produced two state football championships, two state baseball championships, a state basketball championship, and a state track championship.
Central High went from a position of dominating the district for five straight years to now having a very competitive situation in all sports.
Coach Sid said he liked a lot of things he saw at the Wildcats’ recent spring game and is excited about his coaching staff and this fall.

The retirement of Central High principal David Prescott left Coach Sid Edwards, who also serves as Athletic Director, with a lot of emotions.
“Coach Prescott is an old school guy with old school values. It’s refreshing to see that today.”
“One thing is very predictable. When he makes a decision, he always makes it in the best interests of the kids. That has always been his focus, as well it should be.”
“Watching Coach Prescott serve as principal really reminded me once again why I have never wanted to move into administration. When you are principal, you are surrounded by adults all day. The kids are on campus but when you’re an administrator you really don’t get to work with them very much.”
“A teacher might have a student for an hour or less a day but there’s pressure to cover the lesson plan and get ready for the test. There’s not as much interaction as you might think.”
“But the coach gets to spend three to six hours a day with a kid. You know what he likes to eat, when his birthday is, and what things are like at home. This gives you the opportunity to have a positive influence on the young man or woman and sometimes it can be life changing.”
Coach Sid said he likes the vision of new Supt. Jason Fountain and new Central High principal Brandon LaGroue and said they should be good to work with.

At the Central High Spring Game, Coach Sid was visited by Istrouma Coach Jeremy Gradney, who came to enjoy the game and provide encouragement.
Istrouma High reopened last fall after being closed for four years. It had been destined to be demolished by the State Department of Education but was saved by East Baton Rouge Parish Supt. Warren Drake, who did what has never been done before — get a school that had been taken over by the state to be returned to the parish.
Drake oversaw a $24 million rebuild of Istrouma High, and it is now a beautiful facility — better than ever, according to alumni. The new principal, Reginald Douglas, and his staff are doing well, as are the students, who performed well on state exams. It is now once again the public high school serving the North Baton Rouge area (70805).
Istrouma started with 400 9th and 10th graders and competed at the JV level last fall. They will do so again this fall before graduating to varsity in 2019. Coaches Edwards and Gradney have developed a strong friendship. Last year, the Central players hosted the Istrouma players for a day-long visit to Central High. Istrouma is likely to return the favor by hosting Central this fall.
Istrouma will have 700 students this fall and 1,000 by 2019. By then, it should be a 4A school.