By Malcolm Butler
It’s been quite the year on the athletics realm for Ruston High teams.
One of the best across the board in recent memory.
Headlined by the Bearcat football team playing in the state title game for the first time since 1998 and the boys basketball team making it to the state semifinals for the first time since 1988, Ruston High fans had plenty to cheer about this year.
And according to RHS principal Dan Gressett, the success has had a huge impact on the moral within the walls of the school.
“During football season kids couldn’t wait for Bearcat Fridays,” said Gressett. “We had (freshmen coordinator) Kellye Ratcliffe running through the hallways. We had the band going through the hallways. Just a lot of excitement. Then the community getting behind that and showing support. Then you run into basketball season, and it just kind of carried over. I think the success makes a huge difference just inside the school building.
“We’ve had successful seasons here before when I was still in the classroom, assistant principal, whatever. A lot of people don’t want to believe this or refuse to believe it, but athletics is the window through which everyone sees you. Yes. We are an A school. But if we have an A school parade on a Friday night up here on the turf, how many people do you think are coming to that?
“Don’t get me wrong. We take a lot of pride in being an A school and having a lot of different activities and opportunities for kids, but athletics is the window through which a lot of people see you. So it makes a big difference in the hallways.”
Although football and boys basketball were the most high-profile athletic successes this year, they were far from alone. Cross country. Boys and girls soccer. Volleyball. Girls Basketball. Baseball. Boys and girls track. Even swimming.
All of these teams had highly successful campaigns, culminating in the postseason.
“The thing about sports is it’s up and down and up and down,” said Ruston Athletics Director and head football coach Jerrod Baugh. “We don’t have an opportunity to recruit kids to come in here so you are working with the kids who show up and want to play and do well. We try to do the most we can with them.
“From my end of it, more so than winning and losing, I want the kids to have a good experience playing sports while they are in high school. When they graduate and they go on and do something, when they look back at their high school (days), it needs to be a good experience. Does it help to win, yes. That’s what makes a lot of it fun. But you should be able to look back at the comradery you have with your teammates and coaches. We want it to be a good experience.”
Plenty of good experiences were had on the competitive playing fields this year by Ruston kids. And those good experiences were shared with the Bearcat faithful, thus leading to an increase in fundraising dollars — something Ruston High needs with their athletic programs being mostly self-sufficient.
“People are more willing to help when you win,” said Baugh. “Does that mean you need the money more then? Not necessarily. You do the further along in the playoffs you go. You are going further away and you may need charter buses and more food and that kind of stuff. But in the way of supporting kids, it’s not any more important whether you win or lose. When you win people are more willing to help. It’s good to see (people willing to help). I am excited about how all of our sports performed this year.”
Wes Clark, the president of the Bearcat Football Club, said he saw the impact winning had this year.
“I had a lot of people calling after the West Monroe game this past year … ex-students and players … wanting to be involved,” said Clark. “Winning attracts people. They want to come be a part of the crowd when you are winning.
“I had a call just this week from a company that wants to do some signage. They want to be a part of it. It has definitely helped. Last season seemed to bring people in our community together. Now it’s showing by people wanting to give back to the program and wanting to support it in ways we have not seen before.”
Clark said that a membership drive for individuals and corporate sponsorships would begin in June. Anyone interested in being a part of it can contact him at BearcatFootballClub@hotmail.com.
Another effect of a highly successful athletics year could be felt in enrollment, at least to a certain extent said Gressett.
“I think you end up with some families and some kids that want to move over and be a part of that,” said Gressett. “Yes. Does it make a huge difference in enrollment, no. Our enrollment is based on what we get from the junior high and AE Phillips every year. We have seen a little uptick in families that are wanting to enroll in Lincoln Parish schools and be a part of that. And that is a good thing for us.”
And in a day and age where retaining your own kids is sometimes one of the biggest challenges, winning can help secure those kids in your own pipeline. Baugh said the best route is a multi-pronged approach when it comes to athlete retention.
“I feel like if the decisions I make on a daily basis are in the best interest of the kids, then in the long haul we are going to win more ballgames than we lose,” said Baugh. “Developing relationships with the kids is the most important thing. But yes, people gravitate towards winning.”
And Ruston did plenty of that during the 2022-23 school year.
