Photograph: Bobby Ardoin with his Louisiana Press Association 50-Year Club Award.
St. Landry Now editor Bobby Ardoin was one five sports writers inducted last week into the Louisiana Press Association 50-year Club during a presentation ceremony held at the Baton Rouge City Club.
The selection of Ardoin and the other veteran writers honored during the annual awards ceremony marked the first time that the LPA recognized sports writers as part of its 50-year club.
Writers who have covered state news and sports for at least 50 years and are over 50 years of age are eligible for the LPA’s 50-Year Club.
Also receiving 50-year plaques of recognition were Ted Lewis who has written for the Monroe News Star and New Orleans Picayune, Glenn Quebdeaux, former sports editor of the New Iberia Daily Iberian, Phillip Timothy, sports writer and current editor of the Baptist Messenger, Garland Foreman, former editor and publisher of the Bunkie Record and currently a regional publisher for Louisiana State Newspapers and Bob Tompkins, former sports editor of the Lafayette Advertiser and writer for the Alexandria Town Talk.
Ardoin began his professional writing career in 1966 as an 18-year-old sports editor of the Northwestern State University Current Sauce campus newspaper. In 1972 he became assistant sports editor of the Daily World, followed by editorial positions with St. Landry TODAY and seven-parish regional sports writer for the Baton Rouge State Times and The Advocate. Ardoin returned to the Daily World in 2013 covering local sports. Ardoin also currently writes sports features for the St. Martin Parish-based Teche News.
During his sports writing career, Ardoin has covered all aspects of St. Landry Parish sports, UL-Lafayette sports for 40 consecutive years, LSU football and basketball and New Orleans Saints home games for 21 consecutive years.
In January Ardoin helped form the St. Landry Now website, which has over 100,000 users.
