Avery High School French teacher and men’s head soccer coach Lou Brancourt is resigning from Avery effective in November to pursue a career in Salt Lake City, Utah.
“I am writing you today to let you know that I am headed out of Avery County High School. I made the decision to leave a few months ago, and I am paying attention to my little voice who is telling me, “why not, why not?””, Brancourt wrote in a letter sent to his soccer players and parents last week.
Brancourt came from France to Avery County High School as a student in 1989 and was a two-year player on the men’s soccer team. Beginning in 2002, Lou began working with the high school women’s soccer program as an assistant under head coach Tom Evaul. Brancourt assumed the head coaching duties of Avery’s men’s soccer program in 2005.
Several factors have contributed to Coach Lou’s decision to make this move. “I was ready to move this summer but I didn't want to leave without one more season with those boys,” Brancourt commented regarding the decision in an interview over the weekend. “Now I am leaving in November before the end of the semester so I can have a little time to find a teaching position in Salt Lake City for next semester.”
Chief among the coach’s reasons to move is consideration for someone he deeply cares for, his girlfriend Una. “Why am I leaving? For a girl (I told you that the French were romantic)”, Brancourt wrote in his letter. “This is an opportunity for me to explore more of this amazing country and I feel that it is not a bad time in my life to do so. You may think that I am crazy, and you are right, I am a little crazy…but I really feel good about this move. I need some new spices in my life; I need to face some new challenges and I need to be in harmony with my heart.”
Although his decision was made, the coach was honest in expressing the difficulty with making such a choice. “It's always hard to move and to leave behind you family and friends, but I am a little nomad inside,” Brancourt stated. “I am always excited to make a move. I left home in France when I was 16, almost twenty years ago.”
As far as the state of the soccer programs are concerned, Coach Brancourt is certain that the program will continue to thrive and improve.
“I’m leaving the team in a good position. We are getting better and better, our record is showing progress in scoring and on defense, our numbers are increasing, we are moving up in the conference standings each year. The boys are doing an excellent job in the classroom and in the community, and next year, if everybody returns and we can add some key player who didn't play this year, plus a really good freshman class, the team will be able to compete in the state playoffs,” Brancourt shared. “It's going to be hard to not coach the girl’s team with Coach Evaul. They are going to be a very, very strong. Polk and Hendersonville need to watch out as the girls are ready to play.”
Brancourt expressed deep appreciation to a number of people in his letter, including the parents and families within the program through the years, of whom he said “no coach is capable to make an impact on a team without”, and specifically Coach Tom Evaul of whom the coach wrote “Coach Evaul, you have been a coach, a teacher, a boss, a mentor, a father at times, and a great friend. I will miss you dearly.”
Coach Brancourt was quick to admit the lessons learned from his years of coaching and teaching at Avery High School. “I learned one just last week: you just really never know who you impact in life, who you help out, or even emotionally hurt,” the coach explained. “Every semester, every season, you deal with so many students or players. You can never treat anybody the same, you can never coach or teach the same. It's always different and you are always learning.”
“I am writing you today to let you know that I am headed out of Avery County High School. I made the decision to leave a few months ago, and I am paying attention to my little voice who is telling me, “why not, why not?””, Brancourt wrote in a letter sent to his soccer players and parents last week.
Brancourt came from France to Avery County High School as a student in 1989 and was a two-year player on the men’s soccer team. Beginning in 2002, Lou began working with the high school women’s soccer program as an assistant under head coach Tom Evaul. Brancourt assumed the head coaching duties of Avery’s men’s soccer program in 2005.
Several factors have contributed to Coach Lou’s decision to make this move. “I was ready to move this summer but I didn't want to leave without one more season with those boys,” Brancourt commented regarding the decision in an interview over the weekend. “Now I am leaving in November before the end of the semester so I can have a little time to find a teaching position in Salt Lake City for next semester.”
Chief among the coach’s reasons to move is consideration for someone he deeply cares for, his girlfriend Una. “Why am I leaving? For a girl (I told you that the French were romantic)”, Brancourt wrote in his letter. “This is an opportunity for me to explore more of this amazing country and I feel that it is not a bad time in my life to do so. You may think that I am crazy, and you are right, I am a little crazy…but I really feel good about this move. I need some new spices in my life; I need to face some new challenges and I need to be in harmony with my heart.”
Although his decision was made, the coach was honest in expressing the difficulty with making such a choice. “It's always hard to move and to leave behind you family and friends, but I am a little nomad inside,” Brancourt stated. “I am always excited to make a move. I left home in France when I was 16, almost twenty years ago.”
As far as the state of the soccer programs are concerned, Coach Brancourt is certain that the program will continue to thrive and improve.
“I’m leaving the team in a good position. We are getting better and better, our record is showing progress in scoring and on defense, our numbers are increasing, we are moving up in the conference standings each year. The boys are doing an excellent job in the classroom and in the community, and next year, if everybody returns and we can add some key player who didn't play this year, plus a really good freshman class, the team will be able to compete in the state playoffs,” Brancourt shared. “It's going to be hard to not coach the girl’s team with Coach Evaul. They are going to be a very, very strong. Polk and Hendersonville need to watch out as the girls are ready to play.”
Brancourt expressed deep appreciation to a number of people in his letter, including the parents and families within the program through the years, of whom he said “no coach is capable to make an impact on a team without”, and specifically Coach Tom Evaul of whom the coach wrote “Coach Evaul, you have been a coach, a teacher, a boss, a mentor, a father at times, and a great friend. I will miss you dearly.”
Coach Brancourt was quick to admit the lessons learned from his years of coaching and teaching at Avery High School. “I learned one just last week: you just really never know who you impact in life, who you help out, or even emotionally hurt,” the coach explained. “Every semester, every season, you deal with so many students or players. You can never treat anybody the same, you can never coach or teach the same. It's always different and you are always learning.”
