VC hires alum as new football coach

Most high school athletes and coaches only dream about what it is feels like to win a state title. Abbeville resident Broc Prejean can tell you first hand because he has been a part of five, either as a player or an assistant coach.
On Monday, VC announced to their alumni that they had selected Prejean as the school’s new head football coach.
Prejean is a 2006 VC graduate. In 2003 he was a member of the 2003 football team that won the Class 1A state title after beating Kentwood.
For the last 12 years, he has been a teacher and an assistant baseball and football coach at St. Thomas More High School in Lafayette.
While at STM, he has been the special team’s coach and the running back coach under legendary head football coach Jim Hightower.
The STM Cougars have won two state football titles and finished second over the last 12 years.
As an assistant baseball coach, he has helped the Cougars win two state baseball titles.
“For those 12 years I have been at STM, I can state with absolute certainty, I was able to learn from some of the best football coaches in the country,” said Prejean. “Those lessons will be paramount to what I hope to bring with me --- lessons about football, character, leadership, passion commitment, fellowship and love.
“I am incredibly proud of what we achieved while I was working there, but I am even more proud of the person it molded me to become. I will be forever grateful to the STM community, much the same as I have forever blessed and am grateful for my time at VC.”
Also, for the last 12 years, he has commuted back and forth from Abbeville to Lafayette.
“I am going to miss that drive,” said Prejean. “It was my time to think.”
Prejean will remain at STM through baseball season, because he is the assistant coach.
This was the third time he applied for the VC head football coaching job. He applied two years ago when VC hired Kevin Fouquire.
VC Principal Mike Guilbeaux and athletic director Kim Guidry were part of a hiring committee that helped hire Prejean. Prejean was selected over 31 other applicants.
Guidry, who has been at VC for 30-plus years, taught Prejean. The fact that he is a VC graduate and only lives less than a mile from the football stadium were two of many reasons why she liked Prejean.
“He has vested interest in the school and the community,” said Guidry.
Guilbeaux said he had received a commitment from the assistant coaches that they will be back for another year and help make the transition easier for Prejean.
“I want to give recognition to our current staff of coaches,” said Guilbeaux. “They are a part of the big success that we have had It was important that we keep this coaching staff intact for anyone who would be coming in.”
Prejean’s parents are Terry and Brenda Prejean of Abbeville.