Rodrick Anderson

Through the years, Jeff Wainwright would pick up a copy of the American Press on Christmas Day to see who was voted Southwest Louisiana Coach of the Year and wonder if he might one day be the one.

That day has come for the Grand Lake head coach after earning his first American Press Southwest Louisiana Coach of the Year honor.

“I know this thing normally comes on Christmas Day or around the Christmas holidays,” Wainwright said. “I always see the paper; you wish one day you are lucky enough to have a season to have this opportunity.

“There are just hundreds of people that helped me get to this situation to be recommended by the head coaches is just an outstanding achievement,” Wainwright said. “It has been humbling. It is well worth the wait. It just kind of blindsides you how it can happen. It has just been a tremendous year.”

In 18 seasons as a head coach at three schools, the closest Wainwright came was in 2011 while at Kinder when he finished a point behind co-winners Mike Cutrera of Barbe and Jennings’ Rusty Phelps.

Then came the Hornets’ magical trip to the Class 1A final this season, the first in program history, despite two devastating hurricanes and the coronavirus pandemic. Wainwright finished with 59 points, including 18 first-place votes.

The Hornets went 8-2, winning their first district championship since the program was reinstated in 2013.

Wainwright is the third Cameron Parish coach to win the award, joining mentors Parry Lalande (1996, 2002) and Baron Thomas (1974).

Kinder head coach Bret Fuselier finished second in the voting with 24 points after taking the Yellow Jackets to the Class 2A final for the fourth time since 2013.

Two points back of Fuselier was Lake Charles College Prep’s Erick Franklin, whose Trailblazers reached the Class 3A semifinals, the best season in program history, before coming up two points shy of reaching the final.

Phelps, last year’s winner, finished fourth with 13 points. The Bulldogs, the No. 1 seed in Class 3A, went undefeated in the regular season before losing to eventual state champion Madison Prep in the quarterfinals.

South Beauregard’s Dwight Hudler finished fifth in the voting after taking the Golden Knights to the second round of the Class 3A playoffs.

Winners of the American Press Southwest Louisiana Coach of the Year award: 

2020 — Jeff Wainwright, Grand Lake 

2019 — Rusty Phelps, Jennings 

2018 — John Richardson, Welsh 

2017 — John Richardson, Welsh 

2016 — John Richardson, Welsh 

2015 — Bret Fuselier, Kinder 

2014 — Bret Fuselier, Kinder 

2013 — Bret Fuselier, Kinder 

2012 — Mike Cutrera, Barbe 

2011 — (tie) Mike Cutrera, Barbe; Rusty Phelps, Jennings 

2010 — Pat Miller, Oberlin 

2009 — (tie) Jules Sullen, LaGrange; Pat Miller, Oberlin 

2008 — Jimmy Shaver, Barbe 

2007 — Max Caldarera, Westlake 

2006 — Paul Bourgeois, Sulphur 

2005 — Paul Bourgeois, Sulphur 

2004 — Jimmy Shaver, Barbe 

2003 — Carl Flanagan, Sam Houston 

2002 — Parry LaLande, South Cameron 

2001 — Rick Wriborg, Iota 

2000 — Russ Sutherland, Iowa 

1999 — Rusty Phelps, Jennings 

1998 — Matt Viator, Sulphur 

1997 — Matt Viator, Sulphur 

1996 — Parry LaLande, South Cameron 

1995 — Danny Smith, Leesville 

1994 — Mike Johns, LaGrange 

1993 — Max Caldarera, Westlake 

1992 — Dutton Wall, Welsh 

1991 — Lewis Cook, Crowley 

1990 — Rick Wriborg, Iota 

1989 — Dutton Wall, Welsh 

1988 — Robert Lavergne, Washington-Marion 

1987 — Jimmy Shaver, Barbe 

1986 — Jimmy Shaver, Barbe 

1985 — Jimmy Shaver, Barbe 

1984 — Solomon Cannon, Washington-Marion 

1983 — Jimmy Shaver, Barbe 

1982 — Ronnie Chaumont, Jennings 

1981 — Dutton Wall, Welsh 

1980 — Charles Vicknair, Barbe 

1979 — Johnny Buck, Kinder 

1978 — Charles Vicknair, Barbe 

1977 — David Moore, Lake Charles 

1976 — (tie) David Paine, Merryville; Sidney Soileau, Jennings 

1975 — Johnny Buck, Kinder 

1974 — Baron Thomas, S. Cameron 

1973 — Ted Brevelle, Rayne 

1972 — David Paine, Merryville 

1971 — Shannon Suarez, Sulphur 

1970 — Shannon Suarez, Sulphur 

1969 — Charles Oakley, LaGrange 

1968 — Shannon Suarez, Sulphur 

1967 — (tie) Johnny Buck, Kinder; Johnny Emmons, Lake Charles 

1966 — Robert Banna, New Iberia 

1965 — Rayford LeBlanc, Lafayette 

1964 — Billy Lantrip, Lake Charles 

1963 — Rayford LeBlanc, Lafayette 

1962 — Eddie Harrelson, Jennings 

1961 — Eddie Harrelson, Jennings 

1960 — Doug Hamley, LaGrange 

1959 — Doug Hamley, LaGrange 

1958 — Jimmie Austin, Lake Charles 

1957 — Jim Waldrop, Morgan City 

1956 — Mel Didier, Opelousas 

1955 — E.D. Kelly, DeRidder 

1954 — Jimmie Austin, Lake Charles 

1953 — Bennie Ellender, Westlake 1 

1952 — Joe Mount, Sulphur 

1951 — William Seever, Terrebonne 

1950 — Jake Neely, Jennings 

1949 — Dalton Faircloth, DeQuincyHead coach Jeff Wainwright, center, thanks the Grand Lake fans after the Class 1A state championship game in Natchitoches.

Rick Hickman / American Press2020 SWLA COY voting chart