Schools

Can De La Salle Football Thrive Without Coach Bob Ladouceur?

Ladouceur is expected to announce his retirement at a De La Salle press conference Friday afternoon. Where will the program go from here? Share your thoughts on the future of the Spartans.

A high-profile and successful era may come to an end Friday at De La Salle High School with the announcement that coach Bob Ladouceur is leaving the team.

The Catholic high school will hold a news conference at 3 p.m. Friday on its Concord campus to discuss the future of its football program, and Ladouceur is expected to announce his retirement, the Bay Area News Group reports. The 58-year-old San Ramon Valley High graduate reportedly has had offers in the past to coach at the college level, but his future plans are yet unknown.

Do you think the Spartans can still be successful without Bob Ladouceur? What does it mean for the future of the team? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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Ladouceur has coached the Spartans through 34 years and 399 wins.

The victories include four straight California high school football championships, including a 48-28 victory over Centennial-Corona on Dec. 15. De La Salle also has 28 North Coast Section titles under its belt.

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In fact, Ladouceur's teams haven't lost a game to a Northern California squad since 1991. The coach holds a national record for his winning percentage, according to MaxPreps.

Offensive line coach Justin Alumbaugh is expected to take Ladouceur's place as coach, according to media reports. Alumbaugh is a 1998 De La Salle graduate and also teaches English and physical education at the school.

What do you think the future holds for De La Salle High's football program if Ladouceur retires? What do you think the coach should do now? Do you have special memories of any particular games? Share your thoughts.

Check back with Patch Friday afternoon for coverage of the De La Salle press conference.


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