A community team

PINE PRAIRIE — To be as successful a program as Pine Prairie Lady Panther softball has been in a small rural area, it takes the commitment of the entire community.
Just ask Pine Prairie’s longtime head softball coach Carolyn Deville.
“Without a doubt, the success of the program has a lot to do with this community,” stated Deville. “In the early days of the program, and even today, having access to the feeder programs has been a big key to how the girls have developed the skills necessary to be fundamentally sound by the time they get to the high school level.”
“We owe the success of this softball program to the summer programs and to the parents that have come out and worked right beside me,” she continued.
Deville should know better than anyone how that has translated into multiple district titles and two state championships.
The former Pine Prairie High School basketball player and 1976 graduate has been at her alma mater the past 29 years and turned her passion for the game into a winning program.
One example of how important it is for there to be an outpouring of support in order for the program to continue to succeed was a man by the name of Charlie Cloud.
Cloud was a tremendous supporter of the entire Pine Prairie athletic department until his death in 2013, but seemed to have a particular place in his heart for the softball team.
“Mr. Charlie was a major reason why we have a field on campus,” said Deville. “With his help and the help of a number of parents, we were able to build this field. He was also our biggest fan. I can probably count on one hand how many games or practices that he missed. He often said this is were he wanted to be buried, which always made me laugh.”
After his passing, Cloud left a generous donation to the softball program, which has since been used to renovate the dugouts and backstop on the field that bears his name.
“After much prayer, I thought what better way to have a permanent memory of him and his generosity,” commented Deville.
Even though Deville diverts the attention away from herself, there is no doubt that a major reason why Pine Prairie softball has continued to grow and stay as a major force in high school softball has been her steady presence in the dugout.
Deville’s philosophy has transcended throughout almost three decades and remains constant for every team she has fielded.
“We have a saying here and I have it on a board in the locker room,” stated Deville. “It states that ‘Success breeds success’. I firmly believe that. If you believe in yourself, there is nothing that should stop you from becoming successful. You should set your own goals and work as hard as you can to fulfill those goals.”
That philosophy and a tremendous work ethic by the players all contribute to the desire to make each year a special year.
“The game of softball has changed tremendously over the last several years,” said Deville. “The intensity of the game and the prestige of being a player has jumped by leaps and bounds. I thank the Lord for girls that were willing to sacrifice and work hard to be successful.”
Deville knows a lot about sacrifice, as she got her teaching certificate at McNeese while raising a family.
“My husband and I moved to Lake Charles so that he could go to Sowela Tech and I went to McNeese,” stated Deville. “My children were in grade school, so it took a lot of sacrifice by our entire family.”
The love of softball actually did not happen in high school for Deville because at the time that she attended Pine Prairie, the only sport available for girls to play was basketball.
“My passion for softball came from a special lady named Maxine Gautreaux,” stated Deville. “She turned me on to slow pitch summer softball and she would pick me up on Saturday mornings and we would play all weekend long.”
Obviously, that passion has not abated for the past 30 years.
They say that it takes a village to raise a child. But, from the looks of things in Pine Prairie, one could say that it takes a community to raise a softball program.
Just ask coach Carolyn Deville.