False River makes coaching changes

• Advocate staff report
• Published: Apr 26, 2009

• Print
• Email
• Save
• Reprints
• Twitter
• Share

• Del.icio.us
• Digg
• Facebook
• Reddit
• 

False River Academy in New Roads has made some sweeping changes to its coaching staff, including the hiring of a new head football coach and athletic director.

FRA assistant coach Brad Bass will be the Gators new head football coach, while softball coach Tara Shamsie is the new athletic director.

Principal Kenneth LeBeau said both Bass and Shamsie, who will continue to coach softball, were hired on an interim basis by the school’s board of directors to replace Todd Scott, who LeBeau said was terminated in February after one football season.

Also, ex-FRA player Joe Neal has been hired as the Gators’ head boys basketball coach. Neal, a 2008 Southeastern Louisiana University graduate, will teach science and be a football assistant coach.

Athlete nominations

Nominations for The Advocate’s Athlete of the Year awards are still being accepted. The deadline to submit nominations is May 4.

All local-area schools in the Baton Rouge metro area can nominate the top boys and girls athlete on their campus.

Nominees must be at least a sophomore, have at least a 2.5 grade-point average and be on track to meet the NCAA’s academic qualifying standards.

Schools must submit the athlete’s name, grade-point average and classification along with athletic accomplishments/statistics for 2008-09.

Nominations can be faxed to (225) 388-0318 or e-mailed to rfambrough@theadvocate.com.

More signees

Redemptorist distance runner Jesse McDavitt and basketball player Phillip George of Family Christian Academy help lead the list of local athletes who recently signed with colleges.

McDavitt, the Class 3A cross country champion the past two years, signed with Southeastern Louisiana. George, an All-Metro basketball player, signed with Louisiana College.