Special to the LPJ
CHOUDRANT, La. — The 2025 Eddie Thomas Memorial Tennis Tournament saw plenty of former and current Choudrant High tennis players compete over the weekend — all with the goal to raise funds for the Choudran High Tennis Team in honor of the longtime coach Eddie Thomas, who started the school’s tennis program in 1990.
“I started this tournament in 2021 in memory of my dad, who passed away from cancer in 2009,” Eddie’s son Blake Thomas said. “Dad helped to get the very first tennis court ever built in Choudrant. Through his years coaching from 1990 to 2009, he helped lead students to the state championship tournament each and every year and also had one doubles team (Jurdon Thomas and Ramsey Ballard) win the state championship.
“While the coach, he held a winning team record every year that he coached. My dad raised us boys to love and prioritize three things in life: Jesus, family and friends, and tennis. It is an honor to be able to give back to the program he built and sport he loved so much. This year I was able to raise around $10,000 to donate to the CHS tennis team as well as a few scholarships for graduating seniors.
For this year’s tournament, we had a CHS student win each of the three divisions, as well as a former CHS player of my dads, Kane McGuire.”
Results below:
Winner of men’s doubles: Kane McGuire and Collin McGuire (CHS tennis player) beat Blake and Isaac Thomas in the finals
Winner of women’s doubles: Josie Dickerson (CHS tennis player) and Lydia Nankya defeated Tish Jowers and Carleen Dumas in the finals
Winner of the mixed doubles: Josie Dickerson (CHS tennis player) and Danny Richardson defeated Graham Lemoine and Mary Fendley in the finals
