GOP Endorses Coach Sid Edwards For Mayor-President in Nov. Election

By Woody Jenkins, Editor, St. George Leader – Baton Rouge

The Republican Party has endorsed well-known coach and administrator Coach Sid Edwards for Mayor-President in the Nov. 5 primary election. Edwards completed an extensive review process by the Republican Parish Executive Committee, which included his background and his position on 75 key issues. 

The endorsement turned the Mayor’s race upside down. Until the last day of qualifying, the political pundits had the race for Mayor-Presi

dent all figured out.  They said voters would have to settle for one of the two major Democrats in the race — incumbent Mayor-President Sharon Broome or former Rep. Ted James.

The decision by Coach Sid Edwards to enter the race for Mayor-President left conservatives with no reason to consider voting for anyone other than Edwards.

Since qualifying, the former Athletic Director for the Central Community School System, Dean of Students, head football coach, and teacher has been overwhelmed with offers of support, sign locations, and money. “It’s quite humbling and unbelievable,” he said.

Edwards has coached for 44 years, including 10 years at Catholic High, seven years at Redemptorist, one year at Jesuit in New Orleans, one year at Menard in Alexandria, and 17 years at Central High School. He is currently Dean of Students and head football coach at Istrouma High School in Baton Rouge.

The legendary coach is considered a role model in the coaching profession.  He has the most wins of any coach in the Baton Rouge area and one of the best records in Louisiana.  Coach Sid was the NFL’s National Coach of the Year while at Redemptorist and Louisiana Coach of the Year in 5A football while at Central. He has won three State Championships — two in football and one in basketball.  He has also been head coach in numerous post-season All-Star games.

Coach Sid is known as a “coach’s coach” because he has trained and mentored so many head coaches over the years.

Edwards has devoted his life to helping young men get on a path to a successful life. He teaches them to be good members of the community, good sons, husbands, and fathers.  “Football is just a game,” he said. “But we use it to teach character and save lives.”

A feature story on Coach Sid in the March 2021 Central City News, told the story of the 24 head coaches in the state he trained and mentored.  Some of them are today his fiercest competitors on the field.  They had a lot to say about Coach Sid Edwards not just as a coach but as a leader. Here are excerpts from that article:

Zachary’s David Brewerton

David Brewerton, head football coach at Zachary High, said:

“There is one conversation that I vividly remember, when I was a very young man, that he had with me about how to be a successful coach. He told me that good coaches are able to get their players to execute at a high level. But great coaches are the ones who form deep, personal relationships with their players and have the passion to learn each of their stories…and then can get them to execute. Big difference!”

“I am forever indebted to Sid for the things he taught me and for taking a chance on me in this profession. But, most of all, his treatment of people has influenced me the most. He is a tremendous husband, father, coach and truly is a Man for Others.”

Men for Others is the name of a service organization Coach Sid created to provide a means for members of his football teams to serve the Central community and now the Istrouma area.  They have given thousands of hours of their time and made a difference for many people.

Dunham’s Neil Weiner Dunham head football Coach Neil Weiner said this about his former coach:

“I learned many lessons in my time with Sid. One that has made a large impact is that leaders are readers. Sid was always reading. To this day I am always reading some book trying to find the next edge to success or how to help others.”

“The best lesson I learned from him was that every player has his own story and we can’t just assume their story is like ours. I can still remember yelling at a player because I didn’t think his effort was meeting a championship standard. I was right about the effort but I was wrong about how I addressed it. After it happened and practice was over, Sid let me know what I didn’t know. The young man who wasn’t giving the effort I had expected had been left alone at his home for over a week. The player’s father was not in his life. The player’s mom had been ‘out’ for several nights. The bills hadn’t been paid and the electricity was turned off. He had no food at home. And here I was — the cocky, young coach — telling him he wasn’t doing enough for me!! I’m still ashamed of how I treated that young man. Sid did a masterful job of teaching me a lesson while keeping my dignity intact — even though I hadn’t given that young player the same treatment.”

Walker’s Chad Mahaffey

Walker High head football Coach Chad Mahaffey played and coached under Coach Sid.  He said this about his former coach:

“Talking with friends in the coaching profession who had coached with Sid, I had heard all of the high praise they had for him and the working environment that he created. Coaches are very opinionated as a whole, and it would be hard to please them all because of the variety of personalities that we all have. Amazingly, I never heard a single coach who worked with the man who didn’t rave about how much they enjoyed their relationship with him and how he fully supported them to do their work. Combined with the on-field success, I was drawn to discover the ‘secret sauce’ of the man and the way he ran a football program.”

“At that time in my life, I would consider myself too consumed with x’s and o’s and the variety of ideas going around the football world. After a brief and unsuccessful stint as a head coach, I came to Central eager to see what a championship program looked like. To this day, I consider my year at Central to be one of the most influential in my coaching career.”

“I was reminded daily through observing Sid how you could impact kids by getting to know them and letting them know that you cared about them. For me personally, I think I had been too wrapped up in being ‘in charge’ and forgetting to enjoy the personalities that we get to coach. It was like pushing reset on my coaching career and being revitalized by remembering what’s most important in coaching – the relationships!”

“Even as I write this now, I’m reminded of how I stray from this too far at times and I look back on what I consider one of the best versions of myself as a coach because I was able to be in that environment and learn from Sid.”

“Many times as a head coach I have had difficult scenarios come up, and he’s the first person I think to call to run an idea or potential course of action by. He always provides great perspective on things and is an invaluable resource to me as a mentor. Not only have kids from Central benefitted because of his approach, but countless other kids because of those of us who were influenced by him.”

“In my opinion, Sid’s greatest attribute is that he is usually able to maximize the potential of a player and a team. That is our goal as a coach – to get others to be the best versions of themselves and to be better as a group than they would be as individuals.’

“To say that Sid is a conventional coach or does things the way many of us do things would be a lie. Many don’t allow their assistants to take ownership over their units or be celebrated for team successes – but Sid is different! Many don’t focus on teaching their players that their purpose on this earth is to help and serve others – but Sid is different! Most importantly, many coaches don’t always keep their love for their players in higher esteem than the many victories they have shared on the field together – but Sid is most certainly different!”

“Different, special, successful, and truly a man for others!  That describes this unconventional coach whom I have learned so much from!”

Dutchtown’s Guy Mistretta

Dutchtown High head football Coach Guy Mistretta had this to say about Coach Sid:

“Sid has obviously been an outstanding mentor to all of the coaches who have had the opportunity to work with him. His ability to create a family atmosphere within the program helps not only with the growth and success of the players, but also his assistants.” 

“One trait that truly serves him well in helping in the development of his coaches is his willingness to allow those coaches the freedom to do their jobs without micromanaging, and the patience to give them room to grow. At the same time, he has a knack for identifying the individual strengths and weaknesses of his coaches and helping them to improve in the areas needed.”

So there you have the secret — the secret to why such an extraordinary number of Coach Sid’s former Assistant Coaches have risen to become Head Coaches themselves.  

He gives them autonomy.  He trusts them as Offensive Coordinator, Defensive Coordinator, Special Teams Coordinator, or Director of Football Operations.  Then he leaves them alone.  He doesn’t micromanage them.  He expects and gets results, and these young men grow, take responsibility, gain experience in the heat of battle, mature, and blossom into leaders.

It’s All About Character

Coach Sid talks about all the constituencies a head football coach has to consider — taxpayers, the general public, parents, teachers, administrators, fellow coaches, the media, and others. However, he said the primary group that needs to be considered is the kids themselves.  That’s why we have high school sports.

Coach Sid says it’s really all about building character.  We use football, basketball, baseball, and all the rest to build character.  If we forget that, we’ve really lost our way, he says.

What Makes a Great Coach?

We asked Coach Sid what traits he would look for in a Head Football Coach.  The question was, “If a community needed a new head coach and they asked you to choose him, what traits would you look for?”

Coach Sid answered this way:

“Every school and every community is different.  Each has its own culture, and that has to be considered.  But if it were just me choosing the perfect coach, I would look for several things.”

“He would need a magnetic personality. That’s important because he has to be able to attract other people to his cause.  He has to recruit the student body to go out for the team, draw in the best coaches, and sell his program to the community, the student body, and all the other constituencies.”

“He has to have character.  Really, that’s the most important thing.  Without character, you have nothing.  Without character, you can’t be a role model for the kids.  That’s why the coach can’t have angles or a secret agenda.”

“The head coach has to realize it’s not about him.  He has to check his ego at the door.  It’s not his victory.  It belongs to the kids and the community.”

“You want a ‘Kids First Coach,’ someone who always considers first and foremost what the effect on the kids is.  As the coach, you have to understand why the All-State running back is there.  He’s not there to help you win a championship.  He’s there because he needs help.  He’s there for the same reason the smallest kid on the team is there — for you to help!  The question must always be, What can I do for this kid — not what can he do for me!”

“Football is a sport with a lot of macho, but we can still take care of the little guy.  I’d be looking for the coach who can develop the whole person, the total young man or woman, whether he’s the star or not.”

Winning Is Everything!

For someone who downplays won-lost records and says Jesus won’t check your won-loss record, Coach Sid says winning is everything — but perhaps not the way you think.

In 2020, the year of Covid, it was difficult to schedule games and teams were always cancelling. Central ended up playing Belaire twice. It was a total mismatch. As hard as Central tried not to score, their lead kept climbing. 

In the 4th  Quarter, Central was leading 50-0, but Belaire was on their 38 and was showing some fire. They were trying hard to get a drive going and score, but their drive fizzled on 4th down.  

Coach Sid stormed onto the field waving his arms at the ref. Pulling close to the ref, he whispered, “Call a flag on me!” The ref didn’t want to do it, but Coach Sid continued to wave his arms and raise hell.  Finally, the ref called pass interference against Central.  Since it was a running play, the Central coaches went wild in protest, but Belaire got the first down and eventually scored!

Belaire was supposed to kick off to Central but Coach Sid marched onto the field again and exercised a little known rule.  He declined to receive.  So Central kicked off to Belaire and they scored again.

“There’s a bigger picture,” Coach Sid said. “When I was at Redemptorist, our priest was Father Joe Steffes.  In one game, we were leading our opponent 77-0 at half time.  It was not intentional. Father Steffes came to the field house but didn’t say anything.  He just looked at me. We only scored once in the second half.”

“On Monday, the priest, who was 95 years old, came to my office.  He sat down and looked at me. He said, ‘Wouldn’t it be better if both teams won?  You can, if you make sure your opponent is able to keep his dignity and leave the field with a great experience!’”

“That’s when Father Steffes said, ‘When you get to the pearly gates, Jesus won’t count your wins and losses. There will be other things he considers.’”

Yes, winning is everything, but perhaps not the way we imagine!

Football is a lot like war, and a coach is a lot like a battlefield commander.  The same traits that lead to success in coaching can lead to success in life or any endeavor.

Coach Sid said he hopes to bring his experience and his skills to the office of Mayor-President.