Photograph: (Photograph by Bobby Ardoin)
BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Consulting Writer
Opelousas Catholic School is searching for an athletic director and head football coach after Thomas David reached a decision to leave the school.
OCS principal Marty Henitz announced in an email on Monday that David has decided to seek other coaching opportunities following seven seasons as the Vikings’ football coach.
Heintz wrote in the email that the school will accept applications for the AD and head football coaching positions until Feb. 13.
David is the second St. Landry Parish football coach to leave a head coaching position since the end of the 2022.
North Central head coach Jacob Carruth has left the school for a coaching position in Avoyelles Parish.
David said on Monday night that he plans to leave OCS in order to coach in the public school system.
“Right now I am considering my options and looking elsewhere. I have not decided on a school or a particular coaching job, but I would like to get back into the public schools at this point in my career,” said David.
David, who was hired at OCS in May, 2016, said he enjoyed coaching at the school.
“I had some good times (at OCS), had some successes and met some good people. It’s just time to head back into the public school in order to pick up some more years of retirement,” said David.
David said he already has 10 years of public school teaching experience and his children, Brandon and Elissa, have graduated from OCS.
In addition to working as head coach at OCS and St. Edmund, David has coached at Central Catholic-Morgan City, Plaquemine High, Patterson and schools in Oklahoma.
This season OCS finished 9-4 during the regular season and reached the Division IV select quarterfinal playoff round. In the playoffs OCS, seeded No. 12, defeated St. Edmund and Central Catholic before losing to Ascension Catholic.
The Vikings also won an outright district football championship for the second straight season.
OCS finished 49-15 during the regular seasons since 2016 under David.
Applications and inquiries for the OCS positions can be obtained by emailing heintzm@ocsvikings.com. Further information about the position can be obtained by visiting the school website@www.ocsvikings.com.
