Coach Sid Is Back as Head Coach at Central High

Coach Dotson Resigns Despite Banner Season

CENTRAL — Central schools Athletic Director Sid Edwards will be the head football coach for the Central High Wildcats after the resignation of Coach Doug Dotson, who led Central to the State 5A Playoffs during 2010 and 2011.

Edwards was presented to Central football players Monday afternoon at the high school theatre and approved Monday night by the

Central School Board.  The popular “Coach Sid” returns to the head coaching position after being the full-time Athletic Director the past two years.  Edwards had a 30-7 record at Central from 2007-2009.

Central High School lost head football coach Doug Dotson two weeks ago after Dotson resigned to accept the head coaching position at Erath High.

Dotson had compiled a 15-8 record over the past two years, won the District 4-5A Championship each year, and carried his team to the State 5A Playoffs each year.  His team won the State Regional 5A Championship in 2011.  The crowning achievement of the season was defeating No.1-ranked and previously undefeated St. Paul’s in the first round of the State Playoffs.  It was the first time in history that the No. 32-seeded team had beaten the No. 1-seeded team.

Dotson said he loved being part of the Central community but that he always wanted to return to his native Acadiana.  See story on Coach Dotson on pages 9-10.

Edwards said Monday he had regretted giving up coaching and was determined to get back to it, but that Dotson’s unexpected resignation allowed him to resume coaching in Central, where he feels at home.

More than 100 Central High football  players attended the team meeting Monday afternoon with Coach Sid.  The event was considered “big news” and drew a news crew from WAFB-TV.  The Advocate featured the story on the top of Page 1 of its Sport Section.

Coach Sid is a legend in Louisiana coaching circles.  He coached two State Football Championships at Redemptorist and also coached Redemptorist to a State Basketball Championship.  He is perhaps the only coach in state history to win state championships coaching both football and basketball in the same year.  The truth is, Coach Sid loves basketball every bit as much as he does football.

Edwards will continue to serve as the Athletic Director for the entire Central Community School System, while also serving as head football coach at the high school.  As Athletic Director, he will report to Supt. Mike Faulk, and as football coach he will report to Central High principal Bob Wales.

For Coach Sid’s comments at his first meeting with the players, see Page 8.

On Wednesday, Coach Sid said he wants to step back and try to look at the Central football program through “fresh eyes.”  He said, “Even though I have been part of the program for the past five years, I want to look at things as though it were my first day on the job.”

On one sense, that won’t be difficult.  Even though Coach Sid has been gone from day-to-day coaching for only two years, he has never coached a single one of the 100+ Central players now on the team.

Coach Sid said he wants to build a football program that will consistently be in the Top 10 in the state.  That’s a tall order, but it can be done, he said.

“As you often hear me say, it’s not just about Friday nights.  Our goal is to build young men of character.  We don’t want there to be a gulf between the football team and the parents or the football team and the teachers.  We want football to be part of the whole.  We want to be a light to the community.  We want to strengthen and build relationships and make things better and better.  We want everyone to feel they are an integral part of things and that this is their Wildcat team,” he said.

“We’re going to work to keep our traditions alive and also try some new things.  We always have to be learning and growing, and we won’t spend all our time looking in the rear view mirror.”

“Every day, I want to ask myself, What did I do today to make the Wildcats better? and What did I do to make us champions?  If each of us does that, there will be no holding us back.”

HHH

Former Central City News publisher Daniel Duggan (now publisher of the Zachary Post) and his family lost their home in Norwood Wednesday morning.  The 120-year-old historic treasure burned to the ground and is a total loss.  “Everything we own now will fit in my car!” he laughed.  Daniel said he and his wife Adonica are just counting their blessings, because they and their four children were unharmed.  “That’s what really matters, doesn’t it?” he said.  “We’ve been overwhelmed by friends offering support but really we are fine.”

HHH

The Central Track Team will complete at the LSU indoor meet this Friday and Saturday.

HHH

Central’s Alexis LeBlanc, 13, will sing “Jar of Hearts” in the Exposure Spotlight talent competition at the LSU Gym Armory at 6 p.m. Saturday.  Lexie is the daughter of Heidi Rubley and a student at CMS.