There are many adjectives to describe what Scott Carter has accomplished in his career as a high school baseball coach. Some that immediately come to mind is amazing, inspiring, mind boggling, unbelievable, incredible, outstanding, history making and awesome.
The rare milestone that the 1980 Weston High School graduate reached this past weekend is a great example of why all the above are accurate.
When his Texas Class 5A, Port Neches-Grove baseball team beat Crosby on April 8th the victory marked the 600th win in Carter’s career. It is hard to imagine simply coaching 600 games, but to WIN 600!!!!! To put that into perspective a coach would have to average winnings 20 games per year for 30 YEARS.
Feel free to go ahead and add a few more adjectives to those above if you want.
Carter is now in 36th year of coaching high school baseball in Louisiana and Texas, with 33 of those being a head coach. He arrived to take over the Port Neches-Grove (PNG) baseball program in 2014 and he promptly led the school to three straight district championships and the first baseball state championship in school history in 2017. Since he has added two bi-district championships in 2018-19 and another district title last year.
From 2006-2013 he was head coach for the Sweeny Bulldogs leading them to a 2013 appearance in the Area round of the 3A playoffs, a 2012 State Tournament semi-final appearance, the Area playoff round in 2011 and Bi-District appearances in 2010, 2009, and 2008. He was named District 24-3A Coach of the Year in 2013. Prior to that Carter was head coach in Boling, TX and at Sacred Heart High School in Ville Platte, LA where he won back-to-back LHSAA state championships in 1992 and 1993.
Winning state titles in both Texas and Louisiana puts him in rare company. Being named Coach of the Year in both states elevates the bar even higher. In 2017, Carter was named Texas Sports Writers Association (TSWA) – Class 5A Coach of the Year and Louisiana Sports Writers Association (LSWA) Coach of the Year in both 1992 and 93.
His uniqueness doesn’t stop there either. Last year, Barbe High School out of Lake Charles, LA won the Class 5A state championship in softball.
Barbe is coached by Carter’s daughter, Candyce, making them what is believed to be the only father-daughter combination to coach a team to a state title in the 102-year history of the Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA).
Even if this has been accomplished before which isn’t likely as thorough research has yet to counter the claim, their accomplishment is an incredible story of how a family from rural northern Louisiana has risen to this rare pinnacle of state and even national high school coaching standards.
According to Carter, the roots of this incredible tradition of coaching success by this family actually goes back three generations. It all began on a recreation department field in Jonesboro where Scott’s father, Sammy, spent countless hours, days and years coaching his son and other area youth to a myriad of Little League championships. This led to Carter and his youth league teammates to winning multiple state titles as players at Weston High School.
It was from seeing how the elder Carter and his wife Nelda, made a difference in countless Jackson Parish youth that also nurtured the desire to be a coach in Scott.
“My desire to be a coach came from my father and mother,” said Carter. “They taught me the importance of working hard for what I wanted and how to show support. As I grew older, I couldn’t think of any better way to make a living than be a coach and have always tried to do for my players what they did for me and so many others.”
Mere words simply don’t do justice in trying to describe what Carter has accomplished and is still doing. When reflecting on the historic achievement though, Carter gave it try.
“After thirty-six (36) years coaching with thirty-three (33) of those being a head coach, when it sunk in that I had reached 600 wins it was a moment of a million memories. I immediately thought of the so many awesome assistant coaches and players over the years that had a part in making this happen. I wish they were all here so I could thank them personally.”
“I give thanks to my daughters, Chelsea and Candyce, for always being my biggest fans and to my wife Bridget, whom I have moved around for three decades and all over two states throughout this journey. They always let me do what I love and they are my reason for doing it.”
“I also think of my mom and dad in heaven, as I know how much they wanted this for me.”
“We did it,” Carter softly said as he look heavenward.
“Someone asked me what my secret to winning was. I truly believe it is because God has blessed me with amazing jobs, athletes, coaches and family and friends. Without him none of this would have been possible but as Philippians 4:13 says: All things are possible through God who strengthens me.”
Those final words are the best description of all.
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