Passing on tradition

If you are a male Ville Platte native, there is one tradition that you have probably been a part of at some point in your life. That tradition is playing baseball. In particular, being part of the Dixie Youth organization.
For John Burke Pitre, better known as “Cayou”, that tradition continues to this day. “Cayou” has played a role in Dixie Youth baseball for the better part of the last 40 years as a head coach, assistant coach, umpire or enthusiastic fan.
In fact, you can still see Pitre in the dugout today instilling the same knowledge and discipline that he has imparted to many young players in the past.
Pitre’s introduction to baseball did not come from any one organization. Instead, it came from a source that most boys in the United States get their first taste of America’s game from; dad.
“I got my first glove when I was nine years old,” said Pitre. “It was a great feeling to get that glove. My dad (Howard) would take me out in the field across from his work and play catch with me. Ville Platte had a semi-pro team called the Pirates and my dad and I would go to the games and we would watch the Yankees and Dodgers on Saturdays on T.V. That is where I really started to love the game.”
Pitre’s first foray into organized baseball began when he was 11 years old. That year, the young major league hopefuls were thrust into the world of Little League.
“The first league in Ville Platte was Little League,” stated Pitre. “I joined when I was 11 and played one year on the old Pirate’s field. We could not compete in all-stars that first year. The next year we moved to the ballpark and that was the first year we competed in all-stars. We had a really good all-star team, but we lost to Abbeville 2-1. But, we were the first ones to crack the egg as far as organized baseball in Ville Platte was concerned.”
After that year, Pitre played in the Babe Ruth organization and carried his baseball career on to Sacred Heart High School and then on to American Legion. Pitre did not get back into the Ville Platte baseball scene until after he was married and had returned from a two-year stint at U.S.L. to help run his dad’s service station; a job he still holds today.
Pitre slowly gravitated himself into the game he loves so dearly by first umpiring and then coaching when his son John became old enough to participate in the league.
“A few years after I got married, I started umpiring,” commented Pitre. “Then when John was eight, I became an assistant coach for the team that he played for in farm team. I spent two years as an assistant and then when John moved up to the next age group, I did not get to coach him, but became a fan again.”
Pitre waited another three years before getting the opportunity to once again coach his son. When John entered into the Babe Ruth organization, Pitre was there to guide his son through the next three years.
He then continued to coach in the league for a few more years, even after John had completed his tour.
“I just love the game,” said Pitre. “I love the strategy involved, the competitiveness, and the team effort needed in the game. It was something that I grew up with. It was instilled in me since I was a kid. It is also great to see players I coached bringing their kids up in the game.”
That love of the game has been passed on to his son, as John has picked up the coaching mantle from his dad and has been involved with Dixie Youth now for several years. John is currently the head coach of the Super 10 all-star team and the President of the organization.
For John the respect and love of the game was just a natural progression from his grandfather to his dad to him.
“My dad and I were throwing the ball around when I was five years old,” said John. “And then at my grandparent’s house, there were fields by the house. Every other Sunday, we would gather up all the kids and the adults and we would play baseball in the field. Because of that, the game became just natural to me.”
John actually began his coaching career in softball, educating his daughters in the game. He then became an assistant coach in Dixie Youth with Trent Brignac and the Aces right before his son Wade entered the league, even coaching in two different age groups at the same time.
“I would go help Trent, and then I would take off my Aces shirt and put on my Cubs shirt to go help Wade’s team,”stated John. “That was rough. I was ready to give up the Aces and focus on Wade after that. But, there was never a doubt I was going to do some kind of coaching.”
John and “Cayou” have been fortunate enough to coach together the last few years, with “Cayou” being John’s assistant. The relationship is a great one, with “Cayou” giving advice; sometimes heeded, sometimes not.
“Dad is one of those coaches that never raises his voice, and the kids love him,” said John. “He is easy going and I found the kids respond to that. He loves being in the dugout and comes to practice whether he is coaching or not. He gives me coaching advice, but I don’t always follow it. We come from different eras in coaching philosophy, but I still try to have the same demeanor he did when he coached me.”
Now, there is a third Pitre involved in the game, John’s son Wade. And even at 10 years old, you can sense the same passion for baseball as his dad and grandfather. In fact, Wade already knows what his future holds when he, hopefully, has children of his own one day.
“My dad played baseball and my grandpa played baseball so I am keeping the tradition going,” said Wade. “I would love to coach my kids one day. It would be a great way to honor what my dad and grandpa have done for me.”
In the grand scheme of things, the game of baseball has always been a way for fathers and sons to bond and share memories together. This is no different for the Pitre family, and that is the way they like it.