Coward’s leadership pushed his team to post-season magic

Launey Coward always had a gift of connecting with kids.
The former Ville Platte High three-sport letterman first noticed he had that particular gift when he started his career in law enforcement after graduating from Southern University with a degree in sociology and criminal justice.
“I always liked talking to the kids,” said Coward, who worked in halfway houses and later with juveniles during his time in sheriff’s offices in Louisiana and Texas. “The kids seemed to be drawn to me.”
That connection with kids helped the 43-year-old greatly in his first season as a head basketball coach. Despite losing seven seniors to graduation, Coward led his alma mater to an 18-5 regular season record and advanced to the second round of the Class 3A playoffs.
For those accomplishments, Coward has been selected as the 2021 Boys All-Parish Coach of the Year.
Coward, who is “extremely humbled and honored” to receive the honor, never imagined that one day he would be a head coach.
After moving back home, Coward worked briefly as a substitute teacher before working as a machinist at Cooper Cameron. Coward though would soon find his true calling as a PE teacher at Ville Platte High and then serving in the same role for four years at Mamou High.
Along the way, Coward became an assistant basketball coach at Mamou under John Jack, and then under Tommy John at Ville Platte High.
Then this past summer, the unexpected opportunity presented itself to become the head coach at his alma mater. Despite losing seven starters, Coward knew his team had talent but he just needed his veteran players to step up and help mentor the young guys.
“I knew we had talented players,” Coward said. “I went to talk to the eighth graders coming in. I wanted them to learn under our seniors. I figured they could come see what they do, learn that work ethic and know what is expected of them to play here.”
What no one could have expected is how to deal with COVID-19. After avoiding being directly impacted by the virus for most of the season, Ville Platte High had a positive test late in the season.
“Everytime we heard that a team was out, I would tell the kids to be careful,” Coward said. “We would always tell them to wear a mask and all that stuff. Mamou got it and then Pine Prairie got it. Our girls team got it but we didn’t. We had started gelling really well and right when we were at our peak it hit us.``
Ville Platte High had nine games wiped out due to the positive test and quarantine protocols. The Bulldogs went from January 29th to February 19th without playing a game.
“Three weeks is how long we were down,” said Coward, who graduated from VPHS in 1995. “It is really hard coming back to pick up where you left off.”
Despite the long layoff, VPHS managed to get its feet underneath them with a win over Northwest on the final day of the regular season. Then the team went out and defeated Brusly in the opening round of the playoffs.
“It was really good to get that win,” Coward said. “The kids played real hard. They stepped up.”
The season would end with a loss to St. Martinville in the second round, but Coward was proud of the fight the Bulldogs showed in the second half of that defeat -- a trait the team displayed all season.
“I tell them all the time that my heart is never going to give up and neither will yours,” Coward said. “I wanted them to understand that. I wanted them to know that when you are in a fight you can never give up. They didn’t give up that night and they didn’t give up when we were quarantined either. I couldn’t be prouder.”