When Lafayette head coach Tim Lemaire was at Delcambre High School, he had to wait until his senior year to run cross country. The reason for the wait? Delcambre had just hired a new athletic director, who didn't mind the school participating in multiple sports in the same season.
Lemaire made the most of it by going around the school and recruiting his friends and other athletes to come out for the new sport.
"I told them that I thought we could win state," Lemaire said. "And that's exactly what we did. The team that finished second to us at district (Erath) was the same school who finished second to us at state."
It was during this time that his high school coach--Willard Forman--"fueled the fire" of his love for the sport.
Last week, Lemaire was honored by the Louisiana Track and Field Coaches Association at the organization's annual clinic. He was given the Lifetime Achievement Award.
"I guess I'm hard on myself," Lemaire said. "When Julie Fink called me, I thought of all the people who have received this award. Peter Boudreaux, Charles Lancon, Boo Schexnayder, Claney Duplechin. I was very honored, but--to be honest with you-- I didn't feel like I deserved the award."
It wasn't until the banquet itself when Lemaire watched a video with former athletes and colleagues congratulating Lemaire and telling him what they meant to them that Lemaire understood his impact on--not only the sport--but the people he has come into contact with as he has coached the sport for three decades.
After high school, Lemaire walked on and ran for legendary USL (Now UL-Lafayette) head coach Charles Lancon. It was Lancon who recommended Lemaire to the athletic director at Opelousas High School to help Lemaire get his first coaching job as he filled in for a coach who was having a medical procedure.
After a brief stint at an Opelousas Middle School, Lemaire would find himself back at his alma mater--USL--working for Lancon.
"I learned so much from him," Lemaire said. "I think the main thing is how to communicate with people. He knew everyone. And he knew so much about every event. He would strike up a conversation with anyone. You could talk to him. He was approachable. He knew how to get the most out of his athletes. And if he needed to, he would get on to you and let you know about it, but he never got in your face."
Other influences on his coaching career included Tom Nolan and Doug Stewart. Along with Teurlings Catholic Coach Kelly LaMaison, Lemaire works to honor the three Acadiana track and field/distance running legends by hosting the SNL Invitational every October.
One of Lemaire's proudest moments in his coaching career occurred during his 15-year stint at USL. His team won the conference championship in 2004.
"The top teams in the conference had international runners," Lemaire said. "Our seven guys were all from the I-10 corridor. That was special. The school had not won a conference cross country championship in 30 years. We really were the Ragin Cajuns."
The last 14 years, Lemaire has served at Lafayette High. The Lions have won a couple of state championships and been runner-up on a couple of occasions as well. Lemaire also had a front row seat to watch the developed of the greatest pole vaulter who has ever lived- Armand "Mondo" Duplantis.
"My son was picked up the pole vault when he was a sophomore," Lemaire said. "He would go jump in Duplantis' back yard. I would be sitting there watching him clear 18-0 like it was nothing. It spoiled me. If I go to a meet and see someone clear 17-0 I'm like "OK." He was so focused on his goals, and obviously he has a achieved those goals. It was very interesting to watch him develop."
The majority of the Lafayette Lions opened up their season at last week's McNeese Indoor No. 1 Meet. The girls 4x200, which won with a time of 1:44.13, is now ranked No. 2 in Louisiana.
Another highlight was sophomore Scarlett Petticrew winning the girls pole vault (11-0). Petticrew moves into the No. 3 spot in the Louisiana rankings.
Like other programs across the state, it has been a challenge to get in quality work this week. All schools were out on Monday for Martin Luther King Day and then most every school in the state have been out due to the terrible road conditions due to the winter storm which left the state covered in a blanket of ice.
Lafayette will be back in school today and hope to get some work in before heading to Saturday's LSU High School Qualifier. You can watch the LSU High School Qualifier on MileSplit LA coverage begins at 9:55am.