By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

 

LAPLACE — St. Charles Catholic’s Paul Waguespack has been synonymous with Comets baseball for over a decade, piling up nearly 300 career victories as the team’s head coach. He takes much pride in that — a SCC alum, he’s said that he bleeds blue and gold.

That last part won’t change, but some other things will. The longtime baseball coach has accepted the position of Comets boys basketball head coach and will step down as head baseball coach after next season, part of a major reshuffling of the St. Charles coaching staff.

“Anything I can do to help St. Charles Catholic, I’m going to do,” said Waguespack. “This isn’t anything being forced upon me. They offered it to me first since I’m on staff, and told me if I didn’t want it, they’d hire from the outside. I said I wanted it.

“I’m looking forward to it. It’s a new door to walk through, a new chapter in my life.”

Waguespack steps in for former SCC basketball coach Chris Perrone, who Comets athletic director Frank Monica said has moved on from the school to accept a new position.

Waguespack steps in as boys basketball coach immediately. He will also coach the baseball team in 2013, after which time he’ll relinquish control to longtime assistant coach Wayne Stein, who will step up as head coach. Waguespack will remain on staff as pitching coach.

To head the girls’ basketball program, which Waguespack led as head coach last season, St. Charles has hired Ridgewood girls basketball coach Larry Bettencourt, who will also serve as an assistant football coach.

The Comet boys basketball team has hovered near the playoff picture in recent seasons but hasn’t been able to break through. SCC finished 10-14 overall and 2-8 in a very difficult District 7-3A.

Monica said Waguespack was asked to head the program to push it to the next level.

“We feel that we need to get our basketball program up to par, to make it attractive for our kids to want to come out and play,” said Monica. “We thrive on our kids playing multiple sports. We strive to maintain balance in all areas.”

Waguespack is a former All-State basketball player with the Comets who lettered for four years in basketball. He coached for four years assisting Jeff Montz, helping the Comets to earn their first basketball district crown.

He’s already begun working with the team, coaching it in summer action last week.

“I was proud of the effort we gave,” said Waguespack. “We graduated just about the entire team. Their record didn’t show it, but they were pretty good. So we’ll have some work to do. It’s a rebuilding project.”

Stein, meanwhile, has been a longtime assistant with both the baseball team and football team as defensive coordinator. Like Waguespack, he’s a former St. Charles graduate. This will be his first head coaching opportunity.

“It’s definitely a big opportunity. The lucky thing for me is that a lot of guys get head jobs without having the mentoring that I’ve had. Coach Wag has given me the say-so to help him make tough decisions over the last nine years. I feel like he’s prepared me for this, that coach Monica has prepared me for it.”

He said that he looks to maintain the excellence the program has established under Waguespack’s watch.

“He’s won 297 games over 10 years. That’s almost unheard of, to do that year in and year out. I’ve been handed the keys to a Porsche and they’ve asked me not to wreck it. Obviously, I’m excited … we’ll do some things differently, but for the most part it’ll be business as usual.”

Monica expressed great excitement over the Bettencourt hire, noting in particular his experience level — he’s coached for over 40 years on the high school and AAU level, as well as running the Kenner Recreation Department.

“He’s going to help us an awful lot,” said Monica. “We think it’s quite a coup for us to get a guy with his background.

“Not only will he help improve our program, he’ll serve as a tremendous mentor for our younger coaches.”

The school has also hired Tim Falter, a former Louisiana-Lafayette football player and Newman assistant to be the football team’s offensive line coach.

And it has tabbed Jesse Martin, another SCC alum, as assistant softball coach. He will step in for assistant Gary Western, who stepped down after the season. Western helped SCC win the Class 3A state softball championship in 2008, but stepped down to focus on his primary occupation, Monica said.

Martin is a former standout athlete at SCC, the quarterback of the football team in the early part of last decade.

“(Falter) is a very good technician, a very good coach who brings a lot of intensity,” said Monica.

“(Martin) knows what it takes to win and he has a tremendous work ethic. And what you always like about bringing in a graduate from your school is that they tend to take it personally. They’re invested in your success already and work a little harder.”