LHSCA director Eric Held LHSAA executive director Eddie Bonine and LHSCA director Eric Held offered thanks to the coaches on hand for the business meeting that helped conclude the annual LHSCA convention. “There’s an old adage that says if your athletic department is like the front porch of your house and it’s in disarray everyone is going to assume the rest of your house is as well,” Bonine said. “The success (at schools) is a credit to all of you.
"People don’t understand that as coaches you spend more time with a student than any one teacher does. As an educator myself, I can say your true vision of being professionals is impressive and I know the schools appreciate that.” Bonine mentioned the LHSAA briefly, telling the group things the organization is are moving “in the right direction” in his 10th year on the job.
As he thanked those in attendance, Held noted, “We are enriched in so many ways because of our service to our schools, to our students, our athletes and our communities.” The two-day LHSCA event was attended by approximately 1,200 coaches for the second straight year. Held acknowledged that attendance totals included a number of new coaches, some of whom did not formally register for the event.
With that said, the attendance still ranks as the LHSCA’s highest since the pandemic. The LHSCA has 12,000 members across the state, according to Held. That number includes faculty coaches, nonfaculty coaches, athletic directors and school adminis.