Video: Baseball coach Goodlett ready, prepared for job at Jesuit

Under any circumstances, it is not how you would draw it up on the board on in the dirt.

While Kenny Goodlett has waited patiently for his opportunity to become a head coach again, getting the chance as a result of one of his mentor’s departing abruptly in mid-season was not what he or anyone else associated with Jesuit could have envisioned.

When Joey Latino surprised observers by stepping down as head baseball coach on Monday after eight years of guiding the Blue Jays, it did not take long for Jesuit athletic director David Moreau to replace Latino.

Kenny Goodlett was waiting patiently in the wings, eminently qualified and richly deserving of the chance to guide the storied program.

Now 39, Goodlett began his Jesuit tenure in the 2006-2007 school year as the assistant varsity baseball coach. Previously, Goodlett was the head coach for two years at St. Martin’s Episcopal and served as an assistant at both Holy Cross and Crescent City Christian.

“The previous experience of being a head coach and being an assistant here for long really has prepared me well,” Goodlett said. “Having a chance to run a program before Jesuit and having a chance to part of the Jesuit program for 12 years and the traditions which we will try to maintain is special. We want to put together a great program and keep it rolling.”

Goodlett takes over a program that owns 20 state championships and 29 state title game appearances, the most in Louisiana in both categories. Jesuit last won the Class 5A state championship in 2011.

“It means a lot to me, I’m very honored with the opportunity,” Goodlett said. “We have a group of great young men to work with. Just to be able to step in and fill the role that Joey did such a great job for the last seven years means a lot to me.”

Inheriting the job in the middle of the season does not leave much room for adjustment.

“Right now, change is a not one thing that we are looking forward to,” Goodlett said. “It’s not going to be too much change. The players, we just have to keep them going. We have four tough games ahead of us in this tournament. We start district play on Tuesday so it’s not like we can really change anything at this time. We’re just going to keep rolling. I like the philosophy we have in place.”

Jesuit entered Thursday afternoon’s game with Destrehan in the opening game of the Gerard Oubre Memorial Tournament at Destrehan with a 7-5 record.

“These are not the easiest or ideal circumstances but our young men are resilient and we believe they will handle things well,” Goodlett said. “Coach Latino and all of the coaches here for many years have laid a solid foundation.”