Claw of the parish

PINE PRAIRIE -- If it wasn’t for science, Renotta Edwards would have likely never been the girls basketball coach at Pine Prairie High School.
“I actually wanted to be an occupational therapist,” said Edwards, who played for the legendary Elton Williams at Ville Platte High. “I always wanted to help people. I was always passionate about that but I sucked at science.
“I tell my girls all the time to make sure you take care of your classes now to ensure your future,” Edwards said. “If you are struggling in science then you might struggle to get your nursing degree.”
This year’s Lady Panthers team had some unprecedented struggles this season as the team had games wiped out due to COVID-19 issues. Pine Prairie not only was forced to cancel non-district games against Kaplan and St. Thomas More, but also had to be quarantined and lost valuable practice time.
“It’s just not losing the games,” Edwards said. “That wouldn’t have been the worst thing in the world. It is the lack of focus you lose. You are drilling stuff everyday. Once you are gone for two weeks and they forget those things.”
Yet, Edwards still managed to lead Pine Prairie to a 14-8 regular season record and the team’s first playoff victory in more than a decade. For those accomplishments, Edwards has been selected as the 2021 Girls All-Parish Coach of the Year.
Edwards arrived at Pine Prairie seven years ago having served as an assistant for two seasons at both LSU Eunice and at Northwood University -- an NAIA program in Dallas.
Edwards also inherited a program that had gone 0-24 the previous season.
“I am a very realistic person,” Edwards said. “That’s just who I am. I knew it would take me two years. We just worked on the basics like dribbling and passing. Those first few seasons were mainly spent just teaching the game.”
After teaching the fundamentals, Edwards slowly built the Lady Panthers into a winner and eventually a playoff team.
The only thing missing was that elusive playoff victory, as Edwards had led Pine Prairie to the playoffs three times but had lost each time.
That all changed this season when Pine Prairie defeated Crowley 46-30 in the opening round of the Class 3A playoffs.
“It means alot to the girls, to myself, to the program and to the school,” Edwards said. “Everything we have been working on and it finally paid off. This is what we have been sacrificing for all these years.”