LCA's former coach, new interim head football coach speak on leadership change
LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) -- As reported Monday, Lafayette Christian Academy parted ways with its first-year Head Coach Zach Lochard.
The former Knights coach sent a statement through text message about what transpired in the past two days.
Lochard's statement is below:
"Sunday night Pastor Jay and Devin Lantier LCA's Superintendent called me to meet with them in Pastor Jay's office at 6:30 pm, we talked until 9:30 pm. They assured me at the end of the meeting my job was safe, they believed in me, and told me what their expectations were for me and the LCA program moving forward through this Friday nights game against Central and through the rest of the season. They gave me specific instructions on every move they want me to make moving forward, and what to say. They said we are getting ready to win several games together ahead of us and that the perfect ending to this story will be for us to win a State Championship together at the end of this year. We held hands and prayed together at the end of the meeting.
During the meeting they told me that I needed to fire longtime LCA Coach Skip Babineaux for "berating" our team in front of the parents on the field after I had already talked to the team with a positive message and prayed with them and dismissed them, then I went to my office to upload the film and type in the score on the LHSAA website. I did not hear Coach Skip's message to the team, but they said he threatened to kick anyone off the team who walked on the practice field on Monday, and told them they are "Hollywood" and are only concerned with showing off for the cameras, instead of playing hard for their team. A couple players parents heard this and told Pastor Jay about it, and reported that I wasn't around.
I followed my orders from Pastor Jay and Devin Lantier and drove to Coach Skip's house at 10pm Sunday night to tell him to his face instead of over the phone that he was being relieved of his coaching duties immediately. Coach Skip and I talked for almost an hour, I apologized to him and told him how much I appreciated him, and we hugged each other and told each other we love each other and have each other's back moving forward.
Then Monday in the middle of the school day our Superintendent Devin Lantier came into my classroom and told me I'm being let go immediately and I am no longer a teacher or an employee of LCA. He did not give me a reason, he just told me other things transpired during the day.
I am 100% disappointed that we didn't get a chance to see this season through because our expectations were to win a District and State Championship together this season. I am not sure what the reason for my firing is, because I could not have possibly worked any harder or more effectively on making us the best possible team we can be since I was hired in the spring, and I did exactly what my supervisors told me to do. I have received a ton of supportive messages from my former players and coaches. I am not sure what the future holds for me and my family but I am super excited to find out what God has planned for me for the next chapter of my life!"
Lochard also provided the notes he took from that Sunday meeting.
Lochard submitted his notes to News 10. He said the pertinent details were the following:
“Discipline one right and all others will fall in line…Next Move Critical…Not Threatening, No Ultimatum…No Skip on our Sideline Effective Immediately!”
On moving forward, Lochard sent the following:
"I'm happy they kept Skip and all the other coaches on! I am rooting for LCA and already found another full time job! I love those kids and coaches! Thank you! Go Knights!"
LCA named Matt Standiford as its interim head coach and Mitch Craft as co-head coach.
Standiford said in an interview with KLFY:
"Obviously, it's a cool thing, right? Like, I'm not going to deny that this is something that, you know, as a kid, when you grow up, wanting to coach is something you aspire to be. But at the end of the day, this thing isn't about titles. It's not about names. Like, yes, it's an honor. And I'm so grateful that they gave that opportunity to me. But it's a collective group of us that are going to be able to do this thing together, which is what I'm excited about with the rest of the coaching staff, because we've got some really good guys in place and ultimately it's about the kids at the end of the day."
Standiford confirms with News 10 that Babineaux is back with the team.
LCA plays Central in Baton Rouge on Friday.