Lessons carried on

MAMOU – The more lessons we learn throughout our lifetime, the better off we are.
Even more so, if we can take those lessons and apply them to situations we find ourselves in at the moment gives us a chance to create teachable moments.
For new Mamou Demon head football coach Dwight Collins, using life lessons and experiences to mold his coaching philosophy just comes naturally.
“I like schedules, I like routines and I like structure,” stated Collins. “I think that works well with the career that I chose being a teacher and a coach. I have been fortunate enough to have several influences in my life that has helped get me to this point in my career. There have been a number of people that have had a hand in shaping and molding how I approach this profession. So, when I attack problems the way that I do, it is because of those experiences.”
Collins has had a number of those lessons and experiences throughout his lifetime, starting with his time on the football field playing for his Alma mater Eunice High School. During his stint on the prep gridiron, Collins forged great relationships with former Eunice head coach Johnny Bourque, current Eunice head coach Paul Trosclair and the rest of the coaching staff at that time.
“You definitely get a little bit of the coaches that you have gone through,” said Collins. “They all have an impact on what you do and how you coach. I find that some of the things that I say is some of the things that Coach Bourque said years ago. All of the coaches that were a part of my playing time were all workers and that is what I respected. They studied their craft and were good at what they did and I try to follow that same work ethic today.”
Collins took those lessons and experiences and brought them with him to the military after graduating from Eunice in 1987. During his three years in the Army, Collins oversaw Stinger missiles in Nuremburg, Germany. While dutifully serving our country, Collins picked up even more valuable experiences that are still with him today.
“What the military will tell you is to pay attention to detail,” Collins commented. “When you go back and apply that to coaching, it makes you become a better teacher of details. As a coach, you should be able to communicate to your players exactly what you want them to do, not just where to go, but the details on how to get the job done. Not only does that apply to coaching, but it applies in the classroom also.”
After coming out of the military, Collins made his way to college, enrolling at Northwestern State. Because he could not play for the Demons right away, Collins transferred to Trinity Valley and donned the uniform for the Cardinals.
Collins then re-entered Northwestern State and finished out his last two years playing for head coach Sam Goodwin and the Demons.
From there Collins got a job at LSU-E as an Upward Bound outreach specialist. Sensing his entrepreneurial spirit, Collins left LSU-E to begin in the restaurant business, owning and operating Subways, Captain D’s and Shoney’s. Interestingly enough, Collins opened up the first Subway in Mamou.
For eight years, Collins put his nose to the grindstone for 80+ hours a week. But, being in the business world also gave Collins another perspective and experience that he has carried with him even today.
“You have to know the value of a dollar,” said Collins. “I can’t just sit here and start ordering all kinds of equipment if I don’t know the value of a dollar. Being in the business world has also allowed me to be efficient in fund raising for the programs I have been associated with. I’ve learned how to raise money and how to make sure the profit margins are beneficial.”
Collins may have continued in the realm of business if it had not been for one fateful event in his life. While on a trip to Baton Rouge for his company, Collins was involved in a major accident on I-10. Despite totaling his vehicle, Collins came out of the accident with only bruising and soreness.
The night of the accident, Collins told his wife that he did not want to be in the grind of the business world anymore. He wanted to take up his passion, coaching. His wife wholeheartedly agreed.
So, Collins quit his job and reached out to his former mentor Trosclair and began his coaching career at Eunice Jr. High School. After spending two years as the head coach there, Collins moved to Northwest High School to be the defensive coordinator.
Collins coached the Raiders for one year before getting the chance to go back to his Alma mater and become the offensive line coach under Trosclair.
The opportunity to become the head coach at Opelousas High School presented itself four years later and Collins took that leap. He took over the Tigers for two years before coming to Mamou last season as the defensive co-ordinator. When head coach Brian Brumfield left this past spring, Collins was tabbed to take over Brumfield’s position.
“I had a couple of offers to stay in St. Landry Parish, but felt that being here in Mamou would be a better fit,” said Collins. “When I came and spoke to Coach Brumfield and then saw some of the athletes walking the halls, I didn’t see a huge difference between Mamou and the schools that are doing well. In fact, in some cases there are bigger bodies here than other schools.”
Now that Collins is the man in charge of the Demon football program, it will be up to him to turn around a team that has won only one game in the last three years.
If he is going to make a difference, Collins will have to rely on all of those lessons and experiences to get his team on the winning track.
““My philosophy will be a little different than the philosophies of the past coaches here in Mamou,” stated Collins. “My job is to make sure that the players and coaches are one hundred percent committed to this program. We definitely all need to be on the same page. The work ethic and the practice pace has to change dramatically for us to have success. The entire make-up from scheme to practice plan to work out schedule will be transformed.”
If Collins can do that, maybe, just maybe, those teachable moments will produce results beyond measure.