Hargroder era begins at SEH

Before a school assembly held Monday afternoon, St. Edmund High School principal Mrs. Laurie Doucet introduced Andrew Hargroder as the new head football coach and athletic director for the Blue Jays.

Hargroder, a native of Opelousas and a current assistant coach at Crowley High School, has a wealth of experience with more than 25 years coaching high school athletics. 

He served in the United States Army from 1982-85 before attending Northeast Louisiana University where he played slot/running back on the 1987 National Championship Team. 

He is a member of NLU’s Athletic Hall of Fame and earned a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education from NLU.

Hargroder began his coaching career in 1989 as an assistant coach at West Monroe High School. He moved to Opelousas High as an assistant for 1990-91, coaching receivers and assisting in track. He moved to Amy Bradford Ware in Opelousas where he served as Athletic Director, Head Football, and Head Baseball from 1991-1993.

For the 1993-2000 period, Hargroder first served as Offensive Cooridnator (93-97), then as Athletic Director and Head Football Coach (97-2000) at Beau Chene High School. 

He next became Offensive Line and Assistant Baseball Coach at Eunice High School (200-2003) before being named Athletic Director and Head Football Coach at North DeSoto High (03-04).

He returned to Eunice High to serve as Offensive Line and Assistant Baseball Coach (04-05) before moving to Rayne High as Offensive Line and Head Track Coach (06-08). 

He returned to Eunice High to serve as Head Track and Offensive Line coach (08-10). He has been an assistant coach at Crowley High School since 2013.

In his address to the St. Edmund students and faculty, Hargroder spoke of four core beliefs: God, Family, Academics, and the Tradition of St. Edmund Athletics – doing the right thing on and off the field. 

He also spoke of his Mission Statement for the Athletes: Enhance the tradition of St. Edmund; Honor the wearing of the blue uniform; Fortitude to be a leader and embrace being a St. Edmund Blue Jay.

Hargroder completed his presentation with this challenge: “If you don’t know St. Edmund tradition; learn it. If you know it; embrace it.”

“Coach Hargroder brings a depth of knowledge and experience to our school in both roles as athletic director and head football coach,” St. Edmund principal Laurie Doucet said. “He understands the role athletics plays in academics and vice versa.  

“He sees our students as student athletes placing the emphasis on “student” which will ultimately ensure their success in academics, athletics and life,” she said.   

“This is a very important hire for St. Edmund Catholic School and I am confident that Coach Hargroder is the right person leading our football program as well as all other sports.”