New baseball coach approved by TISD board
Trinity Standard , July 2007

TRINITY – Eugene Lafitte, the head baseball coach in Malakoff, was hired Monday night to take over the Trinity High School program.

Lafitte will coach the Tiger baseball program, which advanced to the regional semi-finals in 2006 and the regional championships earlier this year.
He is replacing Coach Kent Craig.

“Next year looks promising and I am excited to take over a program that has developed a tradition of success,” Lafitte said.

Lafitte was voted as the 2007 District 16 2-A “Coach of the Year” while serving at Malakoff. His team this year advanced to the area championship round.

The new Tiger coach has nine years of coaching experience as has been described by former administrators as “Loyal, hardworking, an excellent motivator and a strong Christian role model.”

Also hired by the board Monday night were coaches Terry James and Eric Droddy.

James worked with Lafitte this year as a varsity assistant baseball coach in Malakoff and will continue in that role in Trinity.

He began his education career seven years ago and has had head baseball coaching experience.

Droddy, a Trinity High School graduate, has coached in Trinity in the past. He will serve as the defensive coordinator for the THS football program.

Droddy spent the last year coaching in the Mt. Pleasant school system.

“Over the last two years our baseball team has exemplified what we would like to see in our overall athletic program,” Superintendent Dr. Bobby Rice said.

“I am confident these coaches, along with our new athletic director, will continue that tradition of excellence.”

Robert Davis, formerly of Anahuac, was hired as the TISD athletic director in May.

Other personnel changes
During Monday’s meeting, the board also voted to offer one-year probationary contracts to three others.

Gerald Vinson was hired as a high school English teacher while both Amy Smith and Megan Kierz were hired as elementary teachers.

The board also voted to accept the resignations of middle school teacher Laura Harlin; middle school/high school coach Terry Harlin; high school coaches Stephen Hrncir, James
Herrera and Randall Canady; and elementary teachers Tiffany Parker and Roxie Mueller.