On Friday, East St. John High School officially entered the post-Dauterive era.

Although controversy has surrounded the former head football coach and athletic director of late — he was suspended for a week during the 2009 football season for some comments made following a loss — the impact the man had on the school, its football program and his players cannot be denied and must never be forgotten.

During his nine-year tenure, Coach Dau, as he was called by players and peers alike, brought much success to the team. Although a state title has eluded the Wildcats while he was at the helm, the sheer size of his win column speaks for itself.

But what made him such a spectacular leader cannot be recorded on a stat sheet.

More than anything, what he gave his players was a true sense of pride. No matter where they came from, he taught them that when they walked onto that football field, they were somebody special.

These qualities were forever immortalized in the film “Walking on Dead Fish,” so at least in that regard they will never be forgotten, but as East St. John moves on as it must, let’s hope the traditions started by Larry Dauterive do not fade to black.