A father’s love lifts LaFleur family

David Scott LaFleur had fans in the stands as he earned MVP honors and LSU Eunice won its fifth NJCAA baseball national championship last month in Enid, Oklahoma.
But he also had three angels in the outfield cheering him on as he hit six home runs that week to earn the Marucci Elite Hitter Award.
“My grandpa, uncle and MeMaw were always supported me,” the Bengal outfielder said. “Those three passed away since I started playing college baseball.”
David’s grandfather Frankie Joseph LaFleur, Sr. died in 2013 after building the family business that included two nursing homes and numerous community homes in Eunice, Ville Platte and Thibodeaux.
“He was self motivated and very competitive,” Scotty, 51, said of his father. “He wanted to make himself better and was a hard worker.”
Scotty said his dad was gone a lot building his career as a pharmacist and they spent time together making deliveries.
“He taught me to work hard and never give up,” Scotty said. “He knew where each dollar came from.”
Frankie was the first from his family to graduate college (LSU) and that continued at pharmacy school in Monroe.
“He was stern, direct and always told the truth,” Scotty said of his father. “But he was always on my side.”
Scotty played tennis, baseball, track and football at Eunice High, the same school his dad graduated from in 1959.
“He couldn’t always be there with me but he made sure that some one took me hunting or fishing,” Scotty said. “He was a great provider and wonderful example to follow.
“He really cared for people.”
Frankie was a cheerleader at LSU in the early 1960s and David felt that drew his grandfather to follow the grandson’s football career.
“He was one of my biggest fans when I was growing up,” David, 21, said. “He followed me in football and baseball — he loved me.
“He was very supportive but also told me the truth,” David said of his grand dad. “He would tell me how I could do better —but he was quick to praise us too.”
David’s uncle, Quinn Ortego died on May 12 while the Bengals were competing for the Region 23 title.
“He always called me big, bad Dave since I was little,” David reflected. “He was always so proud of me and kept up with all I did.
“I was able to make it to the funeral, which I am glad I could as we were in the middle of the regional tournament.”
His grandmother, Delores Ortego passed away in 2011 while David was still in high school.
“She loved baseball and was very supportive of me,” he said.
“Those three people definitely were with me during the World Series, cheering me on all the way.”
“I wanted my children to learn respect, hard work, loyalty and dedication,” Scotty said, “things I learned from my father.”
Father and son spent countless hours developing David’s athletic skills.
“I appreciate how much hard work my grandpa put in to put our family into such a successful place that allowed my dad to spend time with me,” David said.
“My dad’s schedule allowed him to practice with me and coach me when I was growing up.”
David’s first baseball experience came with Dr. Craig Matherne’s Tigers T-Ball team.
At 13, David won the state World Series with the Eunice Rebels.
At 18, his team the Hammond Yankees won the World Series in Pensacola, Florida.
Then he added another title this year with LSU Eunice.
The journey through college baseball has been a slow but steady process for LaFleur who sat a year and just practiced as a red-shirt freshman.
“It was the right thing for me to do,” LaFleur said. “Coach (Jeff) Willis and the other coaches helped me to become a man as well as a better player.”
Last year, LaFleur only played in 30 games with a .316 batting average including six doubles, two triples, two home runs with 19 walks and 22 RBI.
This season, LaFleur played in 52 games and hit .326 with 12 doubles, nine home runs, 27 walks and 30 RBI.
“I learned about working hard from baseball,” David said. “I also knew I had to work hard in the classroom to keep playing baseball as long as I could.
“It is very rewarding to see all the hard work I put in has paid off,” he said. “Winning the national championship is the icing on top - but now I get to play another two years.”
LaFleur will now move to Southern Arkansas University, a Division II program in Magnolia, Arkansas.
“I appreciate all my dad and mom (Denel) has done for me,” David said. “We have a real close family with all the cousins.”
The road trips are LaFleur family tradition as Frankie and Mamie visited every state in the USA and also visited Canada, Austraalia, Bora-bora, Fiji, Hawaii and all over Europe including Ireland, France, Switzerland, Italy as well as Monte Carlo and Prague.
So the just over four-hour trip to watch David play for the Muleriders will be nothing for the LaFleur family to conquer.