By ROBERT L. LEE

There’s no way around it, it’s a rather ironic hit that in the same week two head coaches are looking into other head positions.

East St. John high School’s James Smith, traded a 13-year coaching career for the head basketball spot at St. James High School, left open when Lionel Ezidore decided it was time to retire. I am not sure of Ezidore’s exact reasons to leave, but I bet he figures 13 years as head coach of St. James basketball and a trio of appearances in the Top 28 tournament is enough and a healthy way to leave the team.

Also on the ironic side, Smith ends his Wildcat career also at the 13-year mark. There were no details as to exactly why Smith chose to become a different breed of Wildcat, but it seems he is looking to broaden his experience and lessen his drive home to Gonzales.

Both are understandable, all coaches lead a list of different schools during their careers and since Smith graduated, East St. John has been his first and only stop so far.

St. Charles Catholic High School’s head football coach Frank Monica, who has headed up four high schools and a position at Tulane University during his 31 years of coaching, is checking into the new head coaching position which opened with the reemergence of Southeastern University’s football team.

He repeated that he is only one of six applicants for the job and the other five all also have commendable records, so the switch to Hammond isn’t in the bag. When I spoke to him, I was curious as to the sort of reception he has received from area fans and other Comet coaches. Would they view him as a traitor, leaving a team which has worked tirelessly to become a powerhouse in the 3A standings. Or would fans understand the sight of possibly taking a coaches’ dream job of not only being a college head coach, but being the keystone in building a program from the ground up at a nearby college.

Afterall, what better way to help Comet, Bulldog and Rebel seniors advance to college football than via a coach so familiar with them and their high school programs?

Monica said he has had replies of mixed emotions.

For both coaches, I don’t believe either decision should be taken as personal by the school. It is a natural path for coaches in all levels of all sports.

Most coaches preach and truly understand loyalty, but it is the loyalty to their players which determines whether the path diverges into the woods or an arena. I may be wrong, but I think both of these coaches haven’t lost sight of that.

ROBERT L. LEE is the sports editor. He can be reached at 985-652-9545.