Stand By Me: Coach serves as a mentor to High School athletes, making critical decisions on their future

High School athletes are often left with a big question at the end of their journey---what’s next? The offers have piled in, the recruiters have come, NIL enters, but a decision has to be made. However, one assistant coach and Donaldsonville Community member, LaTrent White, always makes sure he supports everyone while guiding them. 

Coach LaTrent deals with many students at Donaldsonville High School across different sports. He says that he emphasizes taking himself out of the picture when an athlete comes to him for advice, when selecting a college. “The way I mentor them is to look for certain things in that school. Can you get a visit? What is the offer? How much are they offering you? Are they even offering you? Are they paying for out-of-state fees?” 

According to Latrent, “I tell them, don’t ask me how I feel about the school, you go and see how you feel about the school, basically, I’m not attending it…Go where it makes you happy.” 

Coach LaTrent finished off by saying he can’t be biased and that athletes are faced with tough decisions that change their future. He also reiterates that this is the place where these players are getting their degrees from, so everything about the decision is for the betterment of the athlete.

Coach LaTrent stated, “It’s tough trying to sway kids…I had one kid who went to a small school. He was like I want to be close to home, and this is the only close home offer I have…I said if you’re comfortable making that decision after knowing their cons and pros, take it and he took it!” 

Coach LaTrent also said, “One kid comes to me, getting ready to commit to LSU, and another school gets involved…they come to him with the money…they offer him $6.4 million, as an 18-year-old kid, you’re like I have to get that.” 

“However, are you sure that’s what you want to do? Do you really want to go to that school?... He thought about his family, and he wanted to take the seven-figure pay, but took the six-figure pay instead,” said White.

Director of Southern University Baseball Operations, Mykah Mares, works with current student athletes in Southern University’s baseball program and potential incoming recruits. She has seen the effects that NIL can have on a rich-history, but smaller program like Southern University Baseball.

Mares said, “Southern, being that we don’t have a long list of alumni or donors, we can call to give us millions of dollars for athletes. We have to rely on our culture and promote the small things that we do have, and the ways that we care about our student-athletes to try to keep up with recruitment.”

Mares also stated, “NIL can be both. You can tell when an athlete is…portal hopping. Sometimes a big check is not what’s best for your development and your mental health. Although the few ways that I have seen NIL alleviate the stress from our student athletes and help them with simple things, such as gas and groceries, can be viewed as a benefit.” 

Recruiting involves several factors, and it’s a huge moment not just for the athlete, but also for the school awaiting the athlete’s decision. High School Athletes are facing crossroads every day, and many factors from home to future career success are thought about, but a mentor can help steer them down the right path. At the collegiate level, the program is here to help the athlete in the best possible way for their future. As both work together, the athlete's improvement never changes.