Like head coach Mike Cutrera, Barbe has always been home to many of the assistant coaches that helped the team to 13 wins
this season.
Offensive coaches are coordinator and
quarterback coach Chad Paulk, offensive line coach Parry Lalande Jr.,
receivers coach
Skeet Owens, running backs coach Lance Steffans. Defensive coaches
are coordinator and linebackers coach Paul Demarie, defensive
line coach James Kelly, defensive backs Jared Chapman and Eric
Leblanc.
“The way they treat you over here makes it hard for you to leave,” said Cutrera. “It is a special place. It makes a difference
having graduated from here.”
Steffans and Owens were new additions to the staff this year, but the group was able to maintain its outstanding chemistry.
“The new guys fit in very well,” Cutrera said. “We had to make sure the new guys that came in would fit with the staff. We
wanted good coaches, which those guys are, and hard-working guys.”
Cutrera said the group’s chemistry extends beyond the sidelines.
“They are great guys to work with, I am lucky to have them. We like doing things together, not just football and in the office,
but we will go out and play golf or something else away from here. We like to keep the wives involved, do things with the
family.”
Paulk, a 2001 graduate of Barbe, is in his seventh year on the staff.
“It is unbelievable working with Mike, he allows the other coaches to coach,” Paulk said. “He is not going to question what
we believe in or what we think.”
Paulk said he has had a good pair of mentors in Cutrera and his predecessor, Jimmy Shaver.
“When Coach Shaver hired me, he told me that I knew defense (from playing) but needed to learn offense,” Paulk said.
“It is a completely different process. I
was freaking out for two years, not knowing what we were doing, but
slowly I started
picking up what he was trying to incorporate. From Shaver, I
learned to not be afraid, to go with what I believed in and to
incorporate new things each week. He always believed if you did
the same thing each week, you were going to get beat. I think
the same way. From Coach Cutrera, I have learned patience, he is
like a father figure. When he hired me as offensive coordinator,
I was freaking out. When the first game came around, I didn’t know
what to do, I went to his office and he just told me to
stay calm, to just relax. He can calm me down when it’s needed.”
Demarie has been defensive coordinator for the past two seasons and on the staff since 1999. He graduated from the school
in 1986.
“This is all I wanted to do since I got
to college,” he said. “I had played running back but Shaver wanted me
to learn the
other side of the ball. Mike is like my best friend, not just
here, but we do family things and everything else together.
Being friends makes it easier to voice your opinion. He allows us
to speak our mind and say what we think will help, in any
situation.”
Demarie said this was a special team to him.
“I grew up with this group, (receiver)
Kade is my son and (defensive end) Jake Lee is my nephew. I know almost
all the kids
through Kade or Jake. They are good-hearted kids. They like to
work and like to win. There were kids that we never thought
we would play that did. Timmy Hoefer, if you saw him in the
hallway, your would say there is no way he is going to play, but
he did what he needed to do, and was the spark for us early in the
second half in the championship game.”
Demarie said the staff is always looking for ways to better the program.
“We are all open to new ideas. Whatever can help us improve is what we want to do.”
The all-time winners of the American Press Southwest Louisiana Coach of the Year award:
• 2012 — Mike Cutrera, Barbe.
• 2011 — (tie) Mike Cutrera, Barbe; Rusty Phelps, Jennings.
• 2010 — Pat Miller, Oberlin.
• 2009 — (tie) Jules Sullen, LaGrange; Pat Miller, Oberlin.
• 2008 — Jimmy Shaver, Barbe.
• 2007 — Max Caldarera, Westlake.
• 2006 — Paul Bourgeois, Sulphur.
• 2005 — Paul Bourgeois, Sulphur.
• 2004 — Jimmy Shaver, Barbe.
• 2003 — Carl Flanagan, Sam Houston.
• 2002 — Parry LaLande, South Cameron.
• 2001 — Rick Wriborg, Iota.
• 2000 — Russ Sutherland, Iowa.
• 1999 — Rusty Phelps, Jennings.
• 1998 — Matt Viator, Sulphur.
• 1997 — Matt Viator, Sulphur.
• 1996 — Parry LaLande, South Cameron.
• 1995 — Danny Smith, Leesville.
• 1994 — Mike Johns, LaGrange.
• 1993 — Max Caldarera, Westlake.
• 1992 — Dutton Wall, Welsh.
• 1991 — Lewis Cook, Crowley.
• 1990 — Rick Wriborg, Iota.
• 1989 — Dutton Wall, Welsh.
• 1988 — Robert Lavergne, Washington-Marion.
• 1987 — Jimmy Shaver, Barbe.
• 1986 — Jimmy Shaver, Barbe.
• 1985 — Jimmy Shaver, Barbe.
• 1984 — Solomon Cannon, Washington-Marion.
• 1983 — Jimmy Shaver, Barbe.
• 1982 — Ronnie Chaumont, Jennings.
• 1981 — Dutton Wall, Welsh.
• 1980 — Charles Vicknair, Barbe.
• 1979 — Johnny Buck, Kinder.
• 1978 — Charles Vicknair, Barbe.
• 1977 — David Moore, Lake Charles.
• 1976 — (tie) David Paine, Merryville; Sidney Soileau, Jennings.
• 1975 — Johnny Buck, Kinder.
• 1974 — Baron Thomas, South Cameron.
• 1973 — Ted Brevelle, Rayne.
• 1972 — David Paine, Merryville.
• 1971 — Shannon Suarez, Sulphur.
• 1970 — Shannon Suarez, Sulphur.
• 1969 — Charles Oakley, LaGrange.
• 1968 — Shannon Suarez, Sulphur.
• 1967 — (tie) Johnny Buck, Kinder; Johnny Emmons, Lake Charles.
• 1966 — Robert Banna, New Iberia.
• 1965 — Rayford LeBlanc, Lafayette.
• 1964 — Billy Lantrip, Lake Charles.
• 1963 — Rayford LeBlanc, Lafayette.
• 1962 — Eddie Harrelson, Jennings.
• 1961 — Eddie Harrelson, Jennings.
• 1960 — Doug Hamley, LaGrange.
• 1959 — Doug Hamley, LaGrange.
• 1958 — Jimmie Austin, Lake Charles.
• 1957 — Jim Waldrop, Morgan City.
• 1956 — Mel Didier, Opelousas.
• 1955 — E.D. Kelly, DeRidder.
• 1954 — Jimmie Austin, Lake Charles.
• 1953 — Bennie Ellender, Westlake.
• 1952 — Joe Mount, Sulphur.
• 1951 — William Seever, Terrebonne.
• 1950 — Jake Neely, Jennings.
• 1949 — Dalton Faircloth, DeQuincy.