Loyal fans never miss a practice

Published 12:03 am Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Charles McQuater used to have a real nice spot out back on the East St. John High School practice field.

Every morning the 70-year-old who most folks know as “Scrap,” would make his way to a spot under the trees that line the field.

With his soft drink and his snack in hand, McQuater would sit in his chair for hours and watch as the East St. John coaches put the players through their paces, listening when the coaches chewed them out for not doing what they’re supposed to do and giving a nod when they did.

There’s no cheering on the sidelines, but sometimes there are opinions.

“I don’t know what that was,” McQuater mumbles under his breath.

Harry Bridges comes with his chair and a little cooler with some water and such.

Kenneth August likes to stand up. He’s a track guy, so that’s understandable.

Everything was fine until somebody decided to put up a wall by the trees. Now the guys sometimes sit by the field house to watch.

“We like to sit under that tree,” McQuater said. “But this is all right. We’ve got a little shade.”

Wherever they may set up their chairs, McQuater and his friends have a front row seat to the building of the East St. John football team under head coach Aldon Foster.

Rain, shine, hot or cold, they are there and always watching. They know the players and their positions. They know who’s at practice and who’s not.

Foster, who took over the program in 2015, knows they do.

“They’re what makes small town football special,” Foster said. “I’m used to that. Amite would have five or six guys like that who would come out for years, even since I was playing. Those guys keep you grounded.”

McQuater has seen it all — players, coaches, assistants, uniform changes and a whole bunch of schemes. Through all the changes, he has been the constant, offering whatever support they may need.

“It’s not about who’s playing,” he said. “It’s about all these kids. That’s what I’m about. So many of those kids need somebody to talk to. A lot of these kids know us.”

McQuater said he first started coming out to practice in the 1990s, shortly after he got hurt on the job and had to retire.

Now he is watching his great grandson, T.J. Rogers, who is a freshman defensive lineman. T.J. is the latest in a long line of sons, grandsons and great grandsons who have put on the Wildcats uniform.

“I can’t even count,” he said.

McQuater said he was a pretty good football player himself back in the day, a running back and linebacker at the old Fifth Ward.

August watched his son Branden play for the Wildcats, now he is keeping a watchful eye on his grandson, Markel, who is an up-and-coming wide receiver.

They have seen it all.

“I tell those kids, ‘They’ve seen everybody,’” Foster said. ‘The kids look forward to seeing them every day. I look forward to seeing them. I know they love East St. John and they love the kids that come through East St. John, no matter who the coach is.”