Residents ask board to rename stadium for longtime coach; members ask staff to research criteria

Several residents urged the St. Martin Parish School Board to rename the local football stadium in honor of a longtime coach, while board members asked staff to research naming criteria and consider precedent.

At public comment, a resident (Speaker 11) asked the board to "grant us permission to name our football stadium" for the coach cited in the record; others, including Garland Jean Vitesse (who identified himself as a former player, SEG 1180-1182), described the coach's personal mentorship and impact on players. Speakers noted the coach's long record and called for the board to "give him his flowers while he's here." Direct appeals included requests to name the stadium or field after the coach.

Board members and other speakers raised concerns about precedent and potential administrative complications. One board member (Speaker 1) recalled a prior decision to decline naming facilities because doing so can lead to multiple competing requests; that member also said the board previously voted against a similar proposal. Other speakers suggested drafting objective criteria for naming public facilities, citing examples from Lafayette Parish and other districts.

Several board members said they would direct staff to research naming policies and criteria used elsewhere and return with a recommendation. The meeting record shows no formal motion to rename the stadium and no vote during this meeting.

Ending: The board agreed to consider research and bring a staff report back to a future meeting; no final action was taken.