Derron Thomas returns home as head football coach, athletic director at West St. John

A hometown hero has returned home.

Derron Thomas is the new head football coach and athletic director at West St. John.

A native of Edgard, Thomas started his playing career in outstanding fashion at West St. John before finishing his prep career at East St. John, where he graduated from in 2004 after his family relocated. Thomas played collegiately at Miami.

“Everything is going well,” Thomas said. “I applied and went through two rounds of interview and I was very fortunate to be chosen. Just to be from here and pretty much play here my whole life, to be able to leave and come back full circle to where it started, it is the fulfillment of a dream for me, a dream come true.”

Thomas is the third head football coach in four years at West St. John, succeeding Greg Johnson following Brandon Walters in the job.

“You won’t have to be looking for a replacement for the next 30 or 40 years,” Thomas said. “I want to instill things that I have learned through the resources, experiences and connections I have built. I am from this community. I am in this community. I know it will work out for the better. I am determined to get this program to where it deserves to be and that is at the top in Louisiana.”

In recent years, the numbers in football have dwindled with the Rams, presenting a real challenge.

“With the numbers, West St. John has always been a 1A or 2A program and we are a 1A program,” Thomas said. “The biggest thing is getting some of the kids walking the hallways to come out for football and play. We are letting the kids know we care about their well-being academically and athletically and letting their parents know the same. We will do everything to help those kids be successful.”

As a high school, West St. John has won six state championships, including four under its current name (1998, 2003, 3004, 2017) and two under its previous identity as Second Ward (1971, 1972) under Rudolph “Bill” Dinvaut. Three of West St. John titles came under Laury Dupont, a Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame inductee, with the fourth coming under Walters.

“To come coach behind some of the legends here is special,” Thomas said. “We won four state championships here. To be able to run a program of that magnitude is an honor. We can be that again. To follow in those footsteps is special. I want to make the entire community and the city of Edgard proud. I want this to be for everybody. It is now about me. It is all about everyone coming together to make it what it can be. I want everyone to feel part of it. If we all can do it as one, we will be unstoppable.”

Thomas knows he has a lot of work to do serving as athletic director as well.

“We want to make every athletic program top-tier in boys and girls programs,” Thomas said. “We are going to add power lifting. We will do everything it takes to get all the programs where they need to be. The dual duties are challenging but I welcome the challenge and the opportunity to make West St. John a success across the board while graduating all our student-athletes and preparing them as well-rounded individuals for college and life. That is the icing on the cake. This is a great community and school.”