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Uploaded: Saturday, January 5, 2013, 9:16 AM
Updated: Tuesday, January 8, 2013, 7:25 AM
Ladouceur stepping down as award-winning head football coach at De La Salle High
Led Spartans to 29 North Coast Championships, 17 California State Championships, plus last month's CIF Open Division State Championship Bowl
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 | Nationally renowned high school football coach Bob Ladouceur announced officially Friday that he is resigning from his award-winning run as head coach at De La Salle High School in Concord.
At a press conference in the school's theater Friday afternoon, the coach who led the school's varsity football team on an 11-year winning streak -- the longest in the history of high school sports -- confirmed rumors he is stepping down, saying he believes it's the right time for a new
transition.
"That's all I've known for 34 years and I've enjoyed every minute of it," Ladouceur said, looking out at a crowd of photographers, reporters, former players and colleagues as he reminisced on his record-busting career at the Concord all-boys school.
The longtime coach said he now plans to work as an assistant coach and to focus on leading the school's younger football players, he said.
Now 58 and a husband and father of three, Ladouceur started his career as head football coach and religious studies teacher at the school in
1979. Since then, he has led the Spartan varsity football team to 399 wins, three ties and only 25 losses, according to school athletic officials.
During that time, the Spartans have won 29 North Coast Championships and 17 California State Championships. Last month, the team won the CIF Open Division State Championship Bowl for the fourth consecutive year.
Ladouceur has repeatedly been named "National High School Coach of the Year" by USA Today and was inducted into the national federation of State
High School Associations Hall of Fame in 2001. An ESPY nomination for "Coach of the Year" from ESPN followed in 2004.
But the longtime teacher and coach, who said he never yearned to take the helm of a college football team, said the relationships he's developed over the years with his fellow coaches and students have been the real highlights.
"(The students) are the ones that made it something more than just football," he said. "I will be forever grateful to them."
He said the Spartans' successes over the years are "a testament to what is possible when teenagers are determined to create an authentic team experience" and credited them for their commitment to training and taking on tough obstacles.— Bay City News Service Are you receiving Express, our free daily e-mail edition? See a sample and sign-up for Express.
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Posted by dublinmike, a resident of Dublin, on Jan 5, 2013 at 8:23 pm
dublinmike is a member (registered user) of PleasantonWeekly.com (Comment partially removed by Pleasanton Weekly Online staff as irrelevant to this thread.)First of all, conrats to Mr. Ladouceur for his achievement. But, to get down to brass tacks, his achievements in football should only be compared to other high/private/prep high schools that are enabled to recruit players. For example, Moreau Catholic, Bellarmine and up & coming Valley Christian in Dublin. Now, having stated this, I think think Tri-Vally HS are providing some powerhouse teams and future pros.
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Posted by Cholo, a resident of Livermore, on Jan 5, 2013 at 8:27 pm thank you for sharing...
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Posted by Jack, a resident of the Downtown neighborhood, on Jan 5, 2013 at 10:45 pm 1) There is no scandal at DLS. Just a hard working coach who has given his all for 34 years and has decided it's time to do something else.
2) DLS is a Catholic school, so nobody's tax dollars are going anywhere on this one...
3) DLS has taken on the best schools from Hawaii to New Jersey and everywhere in between. His record was forged the hard way, and is as legitimate as they come.
Congratulations Coach, you've been an inspiration to many of us for a long time!
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Posted by Arnold, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Jan 5, 2013 at 11:52 pm Congrats on a job well done coach Bob Ladouceur. I've enjoyed following the program for many years and feel strongly that your teachings transcend football. That other schools have studied and emulated your program only means your excellent charachter, influence, and teaching of life skills will live on for many years to come.
Great Job, Coach!
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Posted by Nancy s, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Jan 6, 2013 at 7:27 am (Comment partially removed by Pleasanton Weekly Online staff as irrelevant to this thread.)
Congrats and good luck coach lad. You deserve it.
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Posted by Jack, a resident of the Downtown neighborhood, on Jan 6, 2013 at 8:39 am So my earlier post makes more sense: Points 1 &2 were rebuttals to ridiculous posts that have since been removed...
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Posted by Nancy s, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Jan 6, 2013 at 10:41 am @jack. I understand your comment, since the first part of my earlier comment was removed in rebuttal to dublin mike. I am just glad pw removed the portionof his irrelavant post. Congrats and best wishes to Coach Lad.
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Posted by Mike, a resident of the Highland Oaks neighborhood, on Jan 6, 2013 at 2:54 pm After the damage that Paterno and Sandusky did, I'm afraid to congratulate this outstanding coach.
Mike
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Posted by Ptown Dad, a resident of the Amador Estates neighborhood, on Jan 8, 2013 at 9:31 am "The opinions expressed by Mike are his own and do not necessarily represent those of the rest of us in Pleasanton!"
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Posted by Mike, a resident of the Highland Oaks neighborhood, on Jan 8, 2013 at 2:39 pm PTown Dad,
Thank you for exemplifying one of the major contributors to Sandusky's decades-long abuse of innocent children.
Mike
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