Nagata players to be honored at Jamboree

Joe Nagata spent 22 seasons walking the sidelines at Eunice High and St. Edmund.
If his squads averaged 50 players a season, then the legendary coach touched more than 1,100 athletes in his head coaching tenure.
Last year, the Joe Nagata Memorial Jamboree recognized all his former assistant coaches.
The third-annual jamoree with recognize all of his former players at the games on Aug. 28 at Eunice High.
Nagata spent 1963 to 1973 at EHS with a 52-47-6 record with the Bobcats.
Lawrence Bellow, Earl Gothreaux, Eddie Larson, Gary Courville, Buzz Sarver, Dickie Ledoux, Dale Fruge, Lynn Gothreaux, Terry Larson, Ed Smith, Coleman Dupre, Robert Fontenot, Steve Miller, Robert Chachere, Brad Ceaser, Mike Nagata, Ronald Poullard, Roosevelt Price, Harry Price, Tom Andrus and Ronnie Smith are just a few of the former Bobcats.
Nagata then moved on to St. Edmund, where he remained until 1985, compiling an 83-43-1 record.
Scotty Richard, John Fruge, Tad Richard, Pat Fruge, Robbie Brown, Brian Tanner, Raymond Aguillard, David Nezat, Drake Aguillard, Kenny Nezat, Terry Brown, Scott Deshotel, Paul Brown, Kevin Richard, Mike Andrus, Kyle Deshotel, Brendan Leger and Chuck Andrus were among the former Blue Jays who played for Nagata.
Nagata finished his career with a 135-90-7 record, including six district titles, four district runners-up, and led the Blue Jays to the Class 1-A runners-up in 1978 and 1979.
Nagata’s teams won six district championships, made the state playoffs 11 times, and reached the state finals twice.
He died in 2001 at the age of 77.
Nagata was inducted into the Louisiana High School Hall of Fame in 2008.
“We are hoping to see as many former players as possible make it to the jamboree,” chairman Tony Fuselier said.
“We want to recgonize them between the games and have a great time reminiscing.”
St. Edmund will face Notre Dame at 6 p.m., while Eunice High will entertain Sacred Heart at 7:30 p.m. at Bobcat Field.
The first year, the Nagata family was honored in the coach’s memory.
Last season, Nagata’s former assistant coaches were recognized at halftime.