Fontenot: a coach, father, friend

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He was a coach before he was a father, but both are combined to make Wayne Fontenot who he is today.
A 1990 graduate of Eunice High, Fontenot returned to be a part of the Bobcat Nation in 2015.
Fontenot is the head coach of both women’s volleyball and basketball teams and also teaches biology at Eunice High.
He is also an assistant coach in both football and baseball where he could spend time with his sons.
“I knew I wanted to be a coach since my junior year of high school,” Fontenot said.
“Coach Clarence Merricks had a major part of my decision.
“He took me as a young boy and helped shaped me into being a man with his approach on life and coaching.”
After high school, Fontenot went to the University of Louisiana Lafayette where he earned a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and biology education.
Fontenot has been married to his wife Candace since 1997.
He started his high school coaching career in 1996 at Eunice High as an assistant coach in football and baseball.
He was hired as the head baseball coach at Northwest High before moving on to be the head softball coach at Church Point.
His son Grant was born in 2002 when Fontenot was at Church Point.
Fontenot then coached girls volleyball, basketball and softball for 12 years at Lafayette High School.
His son Carson was born in 2006 while Fontenot was coaching at Lafayette High.
“I really began coaching with my sister’s softball team a year after I graduated high school,” he said. “There’s a lot of girls that I coached through the years.”
Nearly 30 of his former athletes have gone on to play college softball or basketball including former EHS All-stater and LSUE’s Stacie White.
“I left Lafayette High because I wanted the opportunity coach my own sons in the sports that they played,” he said. “I wanted to find a place that suited my own wants but also where Grant wanted to play.”
Fontenot said he was heading to either Kaplan or Mamou when he stopped by Eunice High to chat with principal Mitch Fontenot.
“The only opening was for girls basketball and a biology teacher,” Fontenot said.
“I took Grant to see Kaplan’s facilities and we also viewed the Bobcat complex.
“He helped make the decision,” the dad said. “But I am glad he played in the same baseball program on the same field that I did.”
Grant Fontenot will play for McNeese State in college, an accomplishment that makes the dad proud.
“He was able to do things that I didn’t,” the father said.
“He set several offensive records at the school, he made All-State, Academic All-State and achieved an athletic scholarship.”
Fontenot was also selected on the Louisiana baseball School Coaches Association All-Star team this year, but the game will not be played.
COVID-19 stopped Grant’s senior season, a disappointing end to his Bobcat career.
“I think I took it worse than he did,” the dad said. “The toughest part was he didn’t get his senior night so every one could celebrate – they didn’t get to say goodbye.”
For Grant, spending four years with his dad wearing the Bobcat green was special.
“I started playing base ball when I was three,” he said. “Dad was there then and he was there now.”
Grant said he watched his dad coach the girls’ teams with great passion and enthusiasm.
“He puts everything he has into every day,” the son said. “He taught me not only on the field but great life lessons as well every day.
“I owe him a lot of credit for me earning a scholarship in college,” Grant said. “I wouldn’t have the skills I have without him developing me as a player and encouraging me as s student as well.”
Fontenot said watching his senior season stopped was a tough lesson.
“Don’t take anything for granted,” he said. “You never know when something could end – so give it all you have every day in everything you do.”
Youngest son Carson will be a member of the Bobcat team as a freshman this fall and is looking forward to being on the field with his dad.
“He works hard with his teams and still has time to coach us,” Carson said of his father. “I am proud of the way he always wants to make every one better – he wants me to be the best.
“I am looking forward to spending more time on the field with him,” he said. “This will be fun.”