Nagata jamboree kicks off season

The kickoff to the football season was celebrated Tuesday night as the Eunice High and St. Edmund Athletic Booster Club met to gether for the House United dinner.
The jamboree kicks off tonight at 6 p.m. with Eunice High taking on DeRidder, followed by St. Edmund facing Port Barre at Blue Jay Field.
All of Nagata’s former assistant coaches from EHS and St. Edmund will be honored between the two contests.
Jack Burson and James Bergeron represented the Eunice City Council and presented a proclamation honoring Nagata and his assistant coaches.
“These coaches taught their students about life as well as football,” Burson said. “They were vital contributors to the Eunice community.”
EHS principal Mitch Fontenot praised the two booster clubs for their efforts in the jamboree.
“Coach Nagata is still uniting people today,” he said. “He would be proud to see the mixture of blue and green.”
St. Edmund’s James Wallett said the Nagata legacy continues through the lives of the former students he coached and taught.
“This event is important for our schools and our city but most importantly it is great for our children to see how we can work together.”
Former St. Edmund athletic director Tom Andrus played for Nagata at EHS and later coached with him at SEH.
“It was special for me to play with him and then coach with him,” Andrus said. “He taught me that hard work will get you everything you need in life.”
Andrus said he is thrilled that his mentor has the jamboree named in his honor.
“He taught us a lot about life including integrity, honesty and discipline,” Andrus said. “Those things stuck with me.”Andrus said the coach would be thrilled to see how the two schools are joined for the jamboree fund raiser.
“I think it is great the city is coming together,” Andrus said. “He loved both schools and his town.”