A very special Father’s Day

Mitchell Fuselier, second from left, is joined at homecoming with his mother Lisa, sister Courtney and father Todd Fuselier.

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By Tom Dodge
sportsenews@bellsouth.net

Fathers around the country today will enjoy gifts and hugs from their children.
But perhaps no Father’s Day celebration will be more special for Todd Fuselier as his son Mitchell is about to head off to the greatest and toughest journey of his life.
Mitchell has been awarded an appointment to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md and leaves his life-long home of Eunice next week.
Memories of his early days of playing soccer, Flea-Fly football and T-ball brought smiles to their faces as the two remembered Mitchell’s early development into an athlete.
“Whatever season it was that was pretty much what I played,” Mitchell said. “I was always a bigger fan of baseball but I enjoyed playing football.”
“I coached both Mitchell and his older sister Courtney when she was in coach-pitch and he was in T-ball,” Todd said. “I was always involved with both of them.”
Todd coached the Lady Bobcats two years of Courtney’s high school career, which made it difficult to be at Mitchell’s baseball games.
“I didn’t see much of his games during his freshman and sophomore seasons,” the dad explained. “Courtney was a pitcher and that took a little more time and detail.”
Mitchell’s mother Lisa was there in Todd’s absence, a constant support for her son.
“During baseball season I would sneak a peek into the stands,” Mitchell said. “I always knew they were there, but it was always good to see them.”
The Eunice High graduate was the quarterback for the football team and shortstop for the Bobcat baseball team, both of which had very successful seasons.
“I knew my class had talent,” he said of his fellow seniors. “But I really didn’t expect to get as far as we did. It surprised me, especially in baseball.”
The Bobcats went through the regular football season undefeated and advanced the quarterfinals for the third straight season before falling to the eventual Class 4-A champion Belle Chasse, 40-31.
The baseball team earned a spot in the state tournament for the first time since 1979, facing District 4-4A rival Sam Houston in the semifinals.
Mitchell was the starting shortstop but also saw some action this season on the mound for Bobcat head coach Scott Phillips.
“I enjoyed pitching,” Mitchell said as he first tossed from the hill as a nine-year old. “I used the curve ball and change-up a lot as I was pretty good about placing the ball.
“I didn’t pitch that much during the regular season,” Fuselier said of his senior season, “but I was always ready if he needed me. He said he needed me more at shortstop and I liked being in the mix.”
Fuselier said playing sports has helped prepare him for his future including building leadership skills.
“It is something that I have always had,” Mitchell said. “When time calls, I always seem to be in the front, step up and people seem to follow me.”
“Mitchell was a real good student of the game,” Todd said. “He really studied the game and he was positive leader even early in his career.
“He was a pleasure to coach,” the dad continued. “When you are a parent and coach it is hard because you have other parents watching what you are doing.
“I don’t think very many families are like us,” Mitchell said. “We are very close.”
Mitchell said state schools sent him letters showing interest but his heart was set on the Academy.
“I went up there to visit and fell in love with it and I knew that is what I wanted to do.”
U.S. Representative Charles W. Boustany, Jr., R-Lafayette, nominated Mitchell for the Naval Academy this past spring.
In order to be eligible for consideration for a nomination, students must be a legal resident of the Seventh Congressional District, score at least a 23 on the ACT and have a 3.0 or above grade point average.
In addition, applicants are required to supply a pre-candidate form along with a high school transcript, two or three letters of recommendation and any subsequent scholastic training.
“I know the opportunity is not open for everyone,” Mitchell said of his appointment. “I feel real fortunate and I want to take advantage of the opportunity.”
Mitchell’s move from the top of his class at EHS with a 4.33 GPA will change quickly when he arrives at the Naval Academy.
“I signed the papers and there is no turning back,” Mitchell said. “But I think I made the right choice and I am looking forward to it.”
“In two weeks he will no longer be under our authority,” Todd said of his son. “He is going to be the property of the U.S. Naval Academy with that comes 150 years of proven history that they will do the right thing.”
All midshipmen begin the four-year program with Plebe Summer, a period designed to turn civilians into midshipmen.
Soon after entering the gate on Induction Day, they are put into uniform and taught how to salute by the first class midshipmen and officers who lead the plebe indoctrination program. For the next seven weeks, Mitchell and his class will start their days at dawn with an hour of rigorous exercise and end them long after sunset.
“I think the mental part will be fairly easy,” Fuselier said. “I think I have the mental toughness and structure to be able to get through it. The physical part will be harder, but that is for everyone.
“It is not like putting your toes in the water to see if it is warm,” Mitchell said of how the training was described to him. “It is like being thrown off a two-story building into a pool.”
Mitchell said he plans to major in mechanical engineering and hopefully become a pilot.
“After graduation you are obligated to at least five years of military service,” Mitchell said. “The Academy will pay for grad school if I want to pursue a Master’s.”
“My dad was a very hard worker,” Todd said of his father Dempsey. “I learned to support the kids from him.”
Todd was a four-sport participant at St. Edmund as the quarterback, shortstop, basketball player and also ran track before graduating in 1979.
“He has been the go-to guy if I had trouble,” Mitchell said of his dad. “I was real fortunate because I don’t think there are many dads like him. It will be tough to leave him.
“I am leaving home, but at the same time I will always have home and family with me.”
“It used to be that he was Todd’s son,’ the father said. “Now I am known as Mitchell’s dad, but I am okay with that.”
“I learned a work ethic and the being there from my dad,” Mitchell said of his father, “pushing your kids to do what is right and hopefully one day what they know is right.”