By JASON PUGH, Written for the LSWA

NATCHITOCHES – For the 50^th anniversary of its arrival in this small town located on Cane River Lake, the 2022 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony took time to celebrate the villages.

Those villages – whether it was Crowley or Bunkie or Mamou or Thibodaux or Opelousas — as well as the villages who helped nurture and produce the 12-member Class of 2022 that officially entered the state’s sports shrine were on display at the event inside the Natchitoches Events Center.

“I always tell people, like the saying, it takes a village,” said Garland Forman, the longtime journalist in Avoyelles and Evangeline parishes in central Louisiana. “Well, I had a lot of villages.”

Forman’s statement held true across the board Saturday night whether the inductees came from the more rural areas of Louisiana or if they plied their trades in Shreveport, Baton Rouge or New Orleans. Five inductees are former LSU athletes, and another (Claney Duplechin) graduated from LSU but didn’t compete there.

Rodeo great Steve Duhon, an Opelousas native who played one season of football at LSU, praised his parents for making the sacrifices necessary for him to chase his dreams and his brother for being his constant companion in the practice pen.

“God blessed me with a lot of abilities, but the best deal was him blessing me with my parents,” Duhon said. “They supplied me with whatever I needed. My brother took my hand and drove me to a lot of rodeos. All of my children rodeoed and now my grandkids are starting to ride. It’s one big family deal, and now I get to do it all over again on the other side.”

Few athletes in LSU history have been as successful as gymnast Susan Jackson.

A 12-time All-American (11 first-team honors) and three-time national champion, Jackson became a standout at a place she committed to sight-unseen and helped turn into a powerhouse program.

“Very early in the process, I knew LSU was for me,” said Jackson, who started the night by cartwheeling onto the stage during the Walk of Legends. “I bonded quickly with the coaches. I loved the fact they cared for me as Susan the person, not just the gymnast. I Googled LSU in typing class my junior year. The fact it was a one-hour drive from New Orleans didn’t hurt their chances either.”

The potential for a no-hitter always existed when Britni Sneed Newman stood in the circle for LSU.

A dominating right-hander who set a gaggle of Southeastern Conference softball records in her two-time All-American career, Sneed Newman tossed 10 no-hitters at LSU – six in her senior season – and helped lead the Lady Tigers to their first Women’s College World Series appearance.

That – not the 10 no-hitters – is what mattered most to Sneed Newman, now an assistant coach at Baylor.

“I don’t remember one of them,” Sneed Newman said. “I wish I did. It would be really cool to talk about. I do remember our team finally getting to the Women’s College World Series. We kept saying, ‘We’ve got to get past Courtney Blades so we can win the Women’s College World Series.’ That was my ultimate moment at LSU.”

Behind Sneed Newman, LSU laid the foundation for continued success.

“She put LSU softball on the map,” said Louisiana Sports Hall of Famer Yvette Girouard, Sneed Newman’s coach her final two seasons. “She mowed down the SEC competition. She was truly as dominating a pitcher as there was. How easy was my job? As good as she was as a pitcher, she was even better off the field. She did a magnificent job as a player and now as a coach.”

The linchpin of a New Orleans Saints offensive line that helped Drew Brees set league passing records, Jahri Evans’ 11-year career produced a Super Bowl championship that forever endeared himself and his teammates to the city and state.

Evans felt the love – almost physically – from Who Dat Nation throughout his career.

“I was coming from Bloomsburg (University) where I probably played in front of 5,000 people,” he said. “In the Superdome, we fed off the crowd. We really fed off the crowd going to the hotel the night before. New Orleans knows how to party.”

Ruston’s Kyle Williams’ career took an inverse path from his NFL contemporary Evans.

A standout for the Bearcats, Williams became a starter midway through LSU’s 2003 national championship season and parlayed that into a 13-year NFL career with Buffalo – one of the NFL’s most passionate markets.

“I’m super happy for you and your family,” Bills head coach Sean McDermott said. “Jill, I hope you don’t cry that crying face you did when Kyle retired. Kyle, I hope you smile a little bit and enjoy the moment you earned.”

Williams smiled plenty during his speech, but when it came time to acknowledge his village, it was the thought of his wife that nearly made the high-motor defensive tackle come to tears.

“Probably the greatest moment of my career is making a victory lap in Buffalo and getting to go into a secluded room and tell my family the reason I was able to do that was I made a commitment to be my best every day and do my best,” Williams said. “That’s why we get to experience this weekend. Last but not least – and maybe the shortest – I like to call her the Little General.

“Jill, when I hitched my wagon to your star, it took off. You’re the toughest person I know. You’re a monster. You’re the best. I appreciate you.”

Photo by CHRIS REICH, LSWA

By JASON PUGH, Written for the LSWA

NATCHITOCHES – Shreveport-born Jay Cicero has filled the big house in New Orleans repeatedly with crowds watching Super Bowls and Final Fours, while overseeing a multitude of events in the Crescent City.

Shreveport resident Teddy Allen brought down the house repeatedly Saturday night in his traditional turn as master of ceremonies at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame’s annual Induction Ceremony.

But this time, Allen played two roles – as usual, host of the show, but also, as one of the 12 stars, while  he and Cicero were among the dozen Class of 2022 LSHOF inductees.

Working as the president and CEO of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, Cicero and his team are responsible for bringing a litany of events to New Orleans and its surrounding area. While a behemoth in the state, New Orleans faces challenges from much larger metropolitan areas in the country.

Cicero, for his efforts, was named the 2022 Dave Dixon Louisiana Sports Leadership Award recipient.  The son of a longtime high school baseball coach in Shreveport, Cicero credited his time growing up around the game with instilling in him a career path and a philosophy of success.

“It’s the right place, the right time and being around some great people,” he said. “I try to explain that to our staff, younger people, my kids and friends. Surround yourself with great people. Find somebody who is great and handles their business in the right way. You need to be around those people and absorb that.”

Cicero has absorbed plenty of New Orleans culture and ingrained himself in it as well.

“One of the greatest attributes is a mantra we say a lot around here – it’s amazing what we can accomplish when no one cares who gets the credit,” said Dennis Lauscha, president of the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans. “That’s Jay. He’s always in the back trying to make sure the event is successful, to make sure his organization is successful, to make sure his team is successful.”

No one in the audience of nearly 700 at the Natchitoches Events Center appreciated a good turn of a phrase or a laugh more than Allen, a Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism winner from the Hall’s parent entity, the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.

A statewide writer and columnist now featured in the Online Journals group featuring the Shreveport-Bossier Journal, the loquacious everyman took a 10-minute break from his master of ceremonies gig to be honored in his first year on the ballot.

“It helps to write like you talk,” said J.J. Marshall, Allen’s longtime friend and co-worker. “If you listen to Teddy and you read Teddy, it’s the same. It’s the way he talks. He doesn’t try to overwrite. Teddy opens up and types it. Here it is. It sounds simple, but a lot of people don’t do that.”

The son of a South Carolina preacher who famously bestowed “The Mailman” nickname on Louisiana Sports Hall of Famer Karl Malone, Allen had one simple way to sum up his journey to the Hall of Fame.

“I’ve led a Forrest Gump-like existence,” he said. “I was working at Beacon Gas in Claiborne Parish, and literally the parish sheriff took me to Ruston and said this is where you’re going to school. I told him no. He said, ‘Yeah, this is gonna happen.’

“There have been a lot of people help me get from Point A to B to C. Such dear friends. I just like to laugh and love to hear you laugh.”

Photo by CHRIS REICH, LSWA

By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports

It’s apparent the Shreveport-Bossier Journal has a talented group of contributors.

That was displayed Sunday when the Louisiana Sports Writers Association unveiled its 2021 contest results at the annual Awards Brunch held in conjunction with the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Celebration weekend in Natchitoches.

The SBJ didn’t start publishing until mid-January. Journal scribes John James Marshall, Teddy Allen and Tony Taglavore had already produced award-worthy work for the 2021 LSWA contest by then. Savvy observers are expecting them and other SBJ contributors to have impact in the 2022 LSWA contest.

Marshall was a multi-media winner Sunday. He took a Pro-College Event writing first place for his “One special (sports day) in Shreveport-Bossier” piece written for DesignatedWriters.com, a website he and Allen created.

The out-of-state LSWA judge wrote: “A creative approach to covering a unique two-event day on the local sports scene. A fun read with writing flair. Nice work coloring outside the lines.”

Marshall also carried home a first in the “Best Radio Show Host (Duo-Team)” category for the long-running “Sports Talk with JJ and Bonzai Ben” show on 1130 The Tiger. Marshall, his brother Ben and producer Travis Stewart were honored.

The judge wrote: “This clip left me wanting to get the hosts takes on a bunch more stuff. I loved how fired up and passionate they were. It was also funny in spots, and finding that line between good, sincere analysis and fun is the line every host should try and toe. I think this show did it the best.”.

Marshall claimed the LSWA’s Columnist of the Year award for Division II (circulation of 40,000 or less) for a series of Designated Writers columns. That contest judge noted “excellent take on Brian Kelly hiring at LSU.”

Allen, then writing for the Shreveport Times, won the Best Pro Column award in Division I for his piece on legendary New Orleans sports editor Bob Roesler, which carried the headline “Former Times-Picayune sports stud sat humble, memorable example.”

The LSWA judge wrote: “The winning article was a heartfelt tribute to the author’s mentor in which they masterfully weaved a personal anecdote into a life lesson.”

Allen also won for a Designated Writers piece in the General Sports Feature category in Division II, a feature on “Baseball gods letting LA Tech play final 16 games of season in new home park.”

“Exceptional piece capturing the scene and mood of a big event, “wrote the judge.

Taglavore was a writing winner with an impressive second-place finish in an open division category (all entries), with his 318 Forum story on Colin Evans climbing to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Taglavore and his Captain Shreve High School football broadcast colleague, Jimmy Martin, on The River 95.7 FM, were winners in the Best Live Radio Broadcast Team contest.

“Well prepared, used stats well, tossed in coaches comments. Very good job. This was the best of the ones I heard,” the judge wrote.                                                             

Contact Doug at DougIreland@LaSportsHall.com

Photo by DOUG IRELAND

By HARRIET PROTHRO PENROD, Journal Sports

After winning three hard-fought qualifying matches last week, Shreveport native Christian Harrison made it into the men’s singles draw at Wimbledon. This morning on Court 18, he will meet Great Britain’s Jay Clark in the first round.

“As far as my first-round opponent, he’s a local British guy, so I will have to be mentally prepared for the crowd to be against me and just concentrate on the things I can control on my side of the net,” Harrison told the Journal on Sunday.

In the first round of last week’s qualifying, Harrison defeated Anton Matusevich of Great Britain 6-3, 6-4 and followed that with a 0-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4) victory over Dalibar Svrcina of the Czech Republic.

Harrison’s toughest qualifying match came in last Thursday’s third round when he came back from losing the first set to defeat Germany’s Daniel Masur 4-6, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 and earn his spot in The Championships.

“Qualies are always tough in Grand Slams because it’s three matches to get into the main draw,” said Harrison, “whereas most of the challengers are now two rounds. Wimbledon is also the only Slam with best-of-five (sets) in the last round.”

Harrison feels like his fitness was a benefit in last week’s qualifying.

In his second-round victory over Svrcina, Harrison was down 6-0, 2-0 and then got down 5-2 in the third set before coming back.

“I worked my way out of it,” says Harrison.

In his last qualifying match against Masur, Harrison had to mount another comeback.

“I was down two sets to one, but I played real solid in the fourth and fifth sets,” said Harrison. “My fitness definitely gave me the edge in that match.”

With a victory over Clark today, Harrison would face the winner of the match between No. 32-seeded Oscar Otte of Germany and Peter Gojowczyk of Germany in the second round.

Contact Harriet at sbjharriet@gmail.com

Photo courtesy of Susie Harrison

By DAVID ERSOFF, Journal Staff

LA Blue Goose FC dropped a controversial 3-1 match Saturday to league-leading Texas United at Parish Episcopal School’s Gloria Snyder Stadium in Farmers Branch, Texas.

The Blue Goose took a 1-0 lead into the final five minutes of the game and were playing a man down when United intentionally fouled keeper Brett Ekperouh while he had possession of the ball. The foul was serious enough that Ekperouh required assistance from a trainer. 

Shortly afterwards, United took advantage of the injury and tied the game 1-1 with a goal.

The next attack involved more contact with Ekperouh — which required more treatment from the trainer and Ekperouh needing to come out of the game. However, the center referee declared Blue Goose had used their three substitute windows and the keeper must remain in the game.

United would take a lead 2-1 on a corner kick that was headed past an immobile Ekperouh.

Following the go-ahead goal, a Blue Goose defender began putting on the keeper gear to relieve Ekperouh, which would have put the visitors down two players. The fourth referee, realizing Blue Goose did in fact have a substitute window, allowed back-up keeper Shae Wirt to come in and finish the game.

Blue Goose played out the game under protest and intend on appealing their loss to the league.

Texas United added a late goal for a 3-1 final.  

The game started out with United controlling possession and had a couple shots at goal, but nothing dangerous. In the 10^th minute, Blue Goose was on the counter when Yuri Schlingmann passed the ball to a charging Nico TheBerge, who beat the keeper and put Blue Goose up 1-0.

The flow of the game stayed the same until the 25^th minute, when Blue Goose defender Gerardo Martinez went into a tackle near midfield. The center referee deemed it dangerous play and pulled a straight red card, which includes an ejection. Blue Goose played the rest of the game a man down. At this point the referee had already given a yellow card to players from both teams. He added three more yellow cards to players throughout the game.

Despite being a man down, Blue Goose had two great chances at adding to their lead, but the United keeper stepped up with two big saves. Ekperouh added two more strong saves to finish the half with four.

The second half saw United pushing hard into the Blue Goose defense. The Blue Goose’s defense would not yield, and when they did, Ekperouh came up big with four game saving stops.

Blue Goose held Texas United, the top team in the league, scoreless for 85 minutes.

Earlier in the week, Blue Goose defeated the Little Rock Rangers 3-0 on Wednesday in Little Rock. Blue Goose got goals from TheBerge, Schlingmann and Johan Arevalo. Marco Izurieta and Martinez were credited with assists. It was the most dominate game the team has played this season. They put together solid defense, good possession and were able to finish opportunities.

Blue Goose finally comes home this week with games Tuesday and Thursday against LA Parish, then Saturday with a rematch with LA Krewe. All games are at Centenary College at 7 p.m.

Photo courtesy of Little Rock Rangers

By JASON PUGH, Written for the LSWA

NATCHITOCHES – Teddy Allen said he writes every story like it’s the Super Bowl, because it is for the people he’s writing about.

Jay Cicero talked about bringing Super Bowls, and other major sporting events, to Louisiana – specifically, the Crescent City in his role as CEO of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation.

Allen, the acclaimed Shreveport-Bossier Journal writer who is a Shreveport resident, and Cicero, a Shreveport native and Loyola High School graduate, are among the 12-member Class of 2022 of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. They spoke Thursday afternoon at the LSHOF introductory press conference.

Both Louisiana Tech alumni are entering the Hall after their first appearance on their respective ballots. Allen goes in as a winner of the Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism from the Hall’s parent organization, the Louisiana Sports Writers Association. Cicero is the 2022 winner of the Hall’s Dave Dixon Louisiana Sports Leadership Award.

Cicero began his career working with the Shreveport Captains after meeting team owner Taylor Moore.

He left Shreveport to work at the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation and after a brief stint with the New Orleans Zephyrs – “I was the only guy in New Orleans with Minor League Baseball experience,” he joked – Cicero returned to the foundation and has been its CEO for over 20 years.

In his role, Cicero has been responsible for the success of the New Orleans Bowl, which is in its third decade of existence, as well as helping land, plan and get ready for the Super Bowl in 2025. That game marks the 11^th Super Bowl the city will have hosted, and his fingerprints are on several of those, along with Final Fours.

“It was a shock when I got the call to let me know I had been selected for the Dave Dixon Award,” Cicero said. “What an honor to receive something in the name of Dave Dixon. He was an amazing man, incredible energy. So creative. He came up with the name of the Saints. He dreamed up the Superdome. He was a man who was a force to be reckoned with but a friend to everyone. To be honored with an award in his name is very humbling.”

Allen, a wordsmith with a knack for a homespun phrase and an everyman persona, kept it mostly light in his 10 minutes at the podium, cracking up his fellow inductees and the sometimes stoic media. But he had spurts of heartfelt sincerity, including discussing what led him to the profession.

A love for sports – and a trip to a South Carolina-Clemson football game at age 10 – led one of the two Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism winners to his chosen craft.

“I come from a town of 750 people in South Carolina,” Allen said. “We got The State (newspaper) from Columbia on Sunday. There’d be a picture of Wake Forest or Clemson or The Citadel, and it would be in color. I couldn’t believe this stuff was happening.

“I was 10 years old and these guys in town took me to the Clemson-South Carolina game in 1970. South Carolina clocks the Tigers, and we’re standing on the hill in the stadium, which is enclosed now. These guys are 24, 25, 26 years old. Why they took a 10-year-old kid? I don’t know. I’d never seen so many colors. I didn’t know there were that many people in the world. It immediately captivated me.”

Whether it has been his award-winning game stories or his columns that involve a dose of daily life in the South to interviewing the headless woman at the state fair – “That was a tough quote,” Allen quipped – Allen has brought that sense of wonder and joie de vivre to readers across the state and the country.

“I’m just blessed to have people take the time to read what I write, and to have so many beautiful humans whose stories I get to tell,” he said. “Life ought to be fun. Life needs to be fun, especially these days. So I hope when I write, readers go away happy and entertained. And if not, I’ll try harder next time.”

Photos by CHRIS REICH, Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame

By JASON PUGH, Written for the LSWA

NATCHITOCHES – Thursday afternoon’s opening news conference for the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame induction weekend was full of shock and awe.

The shock came, nearly word for word, from several inductees who recounted their surprise at being selected for inclusion in the state’s sporting shrine. The awe came from their varied and accomplished careers that – as a group – span nearly a century and brought together standouts from nearly every corner of the Bayou State.

“It’s very hard to put into words, but it means the world to me,” said longtime Episcopal High School cross country coach Claney Duplechin. “I remember when I got the call, I was in shock. It was like, ‘Wake me up from this dream.’”

The architect of a state championship juggernaut boys cross country program that won 25 consecutive state titles, Duplechin was one of 11 inductees or family members who took the podium inside the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum.

Once the initial shock wore off for each of the members of the Class of 2022, the gratitude flowed.

“This is pretty much the icing on the cake,” said Pro Rodeo and Cowboy Hall of Fame member Steve Duhon of Opelousas. “When Mr. T. Berry (Porter) got in three years ago, I didn’t know they had a Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. I thought it would be good to get in there one day. I’ve been in the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame and the Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, all I can do now is watch the grandkids grow up and hope they do the same.”

Duhon, a three-time world champion steer wrestler and eight-time National Finals Rodeo competitor, became renowned for his rodeo performances in a 14-plus year career.

A broken leg suffered while playing basketball kept Evans off a football field for two seasons, including his true freshman season at Division II Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania. That trauma did not stop Evans from becoming a bedrock of the most successful era of New Orleans Saints football, an 11-year career that began in 2006 when the fourth-round draft pick started for the Saints, who reached the NFC Championship Game that season.

“I’m very fortunate and blessed to be here,” Evans said. “There have been a lot of accolades I’ve received, but this one is awesome. The state of Louisiana has a lot of great athletes and a very rich history in sports. Look at this place alone. I’m very honored to be in it.”

Evans shook back from that broken leg with a little help from a piece of paper.

“After I broke my leg, I had a note that said I would play this year, I would play in college and I would play in the NFL,” Evans said. “I’ll take two of those three. I got back on the field my redshirt freshman year and never looked back.”

Baseball coach Tony Robichaux, who died suddenly three years ago, built championship-level programs at his alma mater McNeese and later the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

The owner of Louisiana’s college baseball wins record made his mark professionally leading the Ragin’ Cajuns to the 2000 College World Series and the 2014 edition of the Cajuns to the unanimous national No. 1 ranking. He died of complications arising from a heart attack at age 57.

“He did a lot of interviews, and he opened most of the time by saying it’s an honor and a privilege,” his oldest son, Justin Robichaux, said. “To have this in the state of Louisiana, it meant something to him. He took it on the chin a lot. To watch him build a program at McNeese and to see what he developed at the University of Louisiana and to be a man that set a flagship of integrity, moral compass and character, that’s what 36 means to us. It is an honor and a privilege.”

The Class of 2022 inductees officially will take their place alongside their fellow state legends Saturday night at the induction ceremony at the Natchitoches Events Center. The ceremony begins at 7 p.m. and will air live on YurView TV and via web stream at www.lasportshall.com and on YouTube.

Photo by CHRIS REICH, Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame

By TONY TAGLAVORE, Journal Sports

We could all use a break from the heat.

Even racehorses.

Louisiana Downs is moving back this weekend’s races two-and-half hours — to 4:15pm. Track management hopes Saturday and Sunday’s later post times will help horses deal with temperatures forecast by The Weather Channel to reach at least 100 degrees — with even higher “feels like” temperatures.

“First is the safety and integrity of our horses,” said Mitch Dennison, General Manager of Racing at the Downs. “The later post time — the sun starts to go down; it starts to cool off a little bit. By the second race, it seems like the apron is pretty shady. We just want to watch out for the extreme heat and make sure everyone is safe — including the horses.”

The Downs has already made other adjustments to help horses tolerate the sweltering heat.

“We have hoses out for cooling pads, before and after races,” Dennison said. “We also have water availability — we ice down water for the horses. Whenever they’re walking up to the paddock, there are a couple of hoses from the backside of their barns to the front side — in the paddock area.

“There are a couple of hoses along the way for horsemen to hose off their horses and cool them off before the race, as well as after the race. The state (veterinarian) has a truck that has a water tank on the back, with ice water. After the races, the horses are hosed down by the state vet.”

If this weekend’s later start proves helpful to the horses, more adjusted post times could be coming.

“If it’s successful, and (it’s cooler in the late afternoon), and things work the way we want them to work, we are absolutely considering making the change for the summer to get away from the heat a little bit,” added Dennison.

Contact Tony at SBJTonyT@gmail.com

Photo courtesy of Louisiana Downs

By HARRIET PROTHRO PENROD, Journal Sports

While the number of tennis players taking up the sport has risen drastically over the past few years, the rise of another sport has put many facilities in, well, a pickle.

Pickleball, the fastest growing sport over the past two years, has seen a 650% increase in the number of players since 2013. The sport, a combination of tennis, badminton, and ping pong, now includes over 4.8 million players nationwide.

Many tennis facilities have turned existing courts into pickleball courts, but there are still some places where the two sports have had to share the same space.

To deal with the situation, the recent USTA National Statement of Guidance for parks and recreation facilities on tennis and pickleball explains the current policy in place for events in the USTA Southern Section:

“Tennis courts eligible for USTA Southern sanctioned competition, including junior and adult tournaments and league, must contain only lines prescribed by the ITF Rules of Tennis, as set out in the USTA Handbook of Tennis Rules and Regulations.”

In other words: courts that include both tennis and pickleball lines are not eligible to host sanctioned events/play in the Southern Section.

In its statement on the issue, the USTA went on to say, “We will continue to explore options to collaborate with facilities and providers who wish to offer pickleball and help advocate for the construction of separate pickleball facilities.”

Just like in other areas of the country, Shreveport has seen an incredible increase in the number of pickleball players. And some facilities have already taken the initiative to construct and/or convert existing tennis courts into pickleball courts.

Last August, Pierremont Oaks Tennis Club converted two of its existing hard courts into six permanent pickleball courts.

“Pickleball has become very popular,” says Grady Wilson, general manager/director of tennis at POTC. “It’s 100 degrees out here and we’ve got 65-plus aged ladies out there on the pickleball courts.”

Wilson travelled to Nashville, Tenn., for a two-day teaching session on pickleball, so he would be able to teach the sport.

East Ridge Country Club has converted one of its tennis courts into three pickleball courts and tennis pro Tom Chicoine offers “101 Pickleball,” which includes week-long packages of pickleball instruction.

Southern Hills Tennis Center, which has recently undergone major improvements, is also looking into installing pickleball courts. You can also find pickleball courts at Querbes Tennis Center.

If the rise of pickleball continues, look for more courts to pop up across the area.

Contact Harriet at sbjharriet@gmail.com

Photo by HARRIET PROTHRO PENROD

By TONY TAGLAVORE, Journal Sports

No matter if you spend a day at Louisiana Downs, or one of the state’s other three horse racetracks, you don’t want to see a grandstand in disrepair.

You don’t want to see worn and trampled landscaping.

You don’t want to have limited food options.

Now, it’s a sure bet those things will be less likely to happen.

Tuesday, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards signed House Bill 1055. The new law requires Louisiana Downs, Fair Grounds (New Orleans), Evangeline Downs (St. Landry Parish), and Delta Downs (Vinton) to spend money necessary to meet minimum standard requirements in several areas. Those requirements will be established and enforced by the Louisiana State Racing Commission (LSRC).

A track’s failure to comply could mean a fine, and suspension of the track’s license.

“Evidently the legislature thought it was necessary to set these minimum standards,” said Charles Gardiner III, Executive Director of the LSRC. “I think it will give the racing commission a lot of authority. If at any time the commission feels that a track is not performing or taking care of its facility to the commission’s satisfaction, (the LSRC) can rely on those minimum standards and rules by which a track, as a condition of their license, will have to adhere to.”

In anticipation of HB 1055 becoming law, the LSRC recently began efforts to establish those “minimum standards.”

“That’s a work in progress,” Gardiner said. “This is all fairly new to us. I think it’s a novel approach. There are going to be discussions held, I’m sure, among certain committees on the racing commission, and the (racetracks). Hopefully those discussions will result in a baseline.”

Under HB 1055, the state’s tracks are required to submit to the LSRC a plan of operation for each fiscal year. That plan must include expenditure details related to — among other things — customer service, marketing and promotions, capital improvements, and facility maintenance. “Facility Maintenance” includes the track’s racing surface, barns, grandstands, and paddocks.

“We’re already doing the things they are requesting,” said Mitch Dennison, General Manager of Racing at Louisiana Downs. “Our job is to update the commission with our progress reports. We don’t see a problem with it. I think what the bill does is create a better line of communication with the racing commission and that’s better for Louisiana racing as a whole.”

The bill’s author, Representative Jason Hughes (D-Orleans Parish), did not return several requests for comment.

Two main improvements at Louisiana Downs — which will fall under the new law — have been in areas fans will never see.

The “test barn” is where a horse is taken after a race for blood and urine tests, “to make sure the horses are racing legally, with no illegal medication,” Dennison explained.

After years of neglect, Dennison said the track is in the process of installing surveillance cameras.

“We want to make racing as transparent as possible, and make our facility safer and better,” Dennison said.

Jockeys spend long days at the track, from early morning workouts to late afternoon races. Yet, since 2013, Dennison said there hasn’t been a jockey kitchen at Louisiana Downs, where riders can buy and eat meals.

Work is being done to solve that issue.

“They will be able to purchase a burger, a sandwich,” Dennison said. “There will be hot meals. There will be candy and concession foods there as well.”

Now that HB 1055 is law, tracks must submit their reports on a quarterly basis, starting on or before Oct. 20.

Contact Tony at SBJTonyT@gmail.com

Photo courtesy of Louisiana Downs