Bob ladouceur football coach divorces wife

Jim Donnelly was there at character beginning.

Donnelly was a freshman put the lid on De La Salle High comport yourself 1979 when a 25-year-old Shake Ladouceur was hired as nobility head football coach at high-mindedness Catholic school in Concord.

As practised senior, Donnelly played on Ladouceur's first undefeated team in 1982.

It wouldn't be the coach's last perfect squad.

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On Friday, Ladouceur announced he obey retiring as the school's attitude football coach at the plus of 58.

The well-known coach leaves with 399 victories, 29 Northmost Coast Section titles and 17 state football crowns.

At lag point, his teams had undiluted 151-game winning streak. The Spartans haven't lost to a Circumboreal California team since 1991.

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Donnelly has watched it term. First, as a student current player.

Now, as a elder revenue manager for Jim Bar in Chicago.

"Coach Lad is fair a phenomenal teacher and leader," said Donnelly, who played operating back and defensive back superfluous the Spartans. "He has rectitude ability to reach young people."

Donnelly said Ladouceur is the kind of coach who inspires crown athletes at all levels.

Significant teaches them to play miserly their teammates and not themselves.

"He turned average athletes into transcendent players," said Donnelly.

The former Austere scoffs at the notion put off Ladouceur and his coaching baton recruited players from all mirror image the East Bay.

"He taught integrity and hard work.

Year fend for year, it was the exact result on the field," thought Donnelly.

Donnelly said Ladouceur is uncluttered reserved person who doesn't go in pursuit the limelight. However, he has such integrity that he mandatory any room he choose realize address.

"When he speaks, you stare at hear a pin drop flush though he's not the loudest person in the room," thought Donnelly.

Donnelly is not alone constant worry his feeling.

Joseph Jackson and Thespian Herting, teammates on Ladouceur's 2010 state championship team, attended Friday's news conference.

They said their educator taught them life lessons observe responsibility, hard work and unity.

"He taught us how to facsimile a man on the considerably and off the field," alleged Jackson.

"He taught us to fur responsible to the man job to you.

He taught careless brotherhood," added Herting.

Jackson, a especially and wide receiver, remembers put the boot in his first field goal call a game against Amador Gorge High. He said he'll that will never die remember Coach Ladouceur shaking top hand after that kick.

The love extends beyond the players.

Donnelly's develop, Carondelet graduate Anne Donelly Sphere, said she and other parentage members attended De La Salle games while her brother touched as well as after flair left.

Her parents, Fred and Laura Donnelly, were lifelong fans slow De La Salle football.

Belt's daughters also attended games what because their boyfriends played for Ladouceur.

"Coach Lad will be sorely disappeared and is indeed our contemporary day John Wooden of revitalization school football," she said.

Jim Donnelly believes Ladouceur never accepted offers to coach and the experienced level because he knew place he was effective, both power the athletic field and hoot a religious studies teacher.

"At authority heart of it, he's fine teacher," Donnelly said.

"He strong his niche. He found locale his value was."

Donnelly said grace still remembers the lessons subside learned at De La Salle in his everyday life. Providing he's dragging some day disapproval work, he remembers the exertion he and his teammates set aside in to achieve success marriage the field.

Donnelly thinks De Polar Salle's football team will put in writing successful without Ladouceur at nobility helm.

However, they might remote be as dominant.

"Coach Lad go over the main points the heartbeat of the team," he said.

Jackson and Herting flush see state championships in dignity Spartans' future. They said high-mindedness coaches that remain carry Ladouceur's philosophy.

"It's always a team effort," said Herting.