Brian Soignier: Former Ragin' Cajun eases that ragin pain

[NewsCopy]

Careers can get started in the strangest ways. Brian Soignier suffered enough injuries playing football to know an ache from a pain. Now, as a physical therapist, the former UL Ragin' Cajun helps others overcome some of those same ailments. It was Soignier's first injury that paved the way for his line of work. "I never got hurt until my junior year of high school," Soignier said. "I sprained my ankle and went to get treatment. It seemed cool, and I thought I'd like to do that." Soignier, who was an outstanding student-athlete at Cecilia High and an Academic All-Sun Belt Conference performer at UL, knew it wouldn't be easy. "PT school is tough to get in," he said. "It's a hard profession. I had doubts in my head. It was intimidating, but I figured unless I gave it a shot I'd never know. It's competitive in nature. It's not just something where they take you and we'll meet over here. The rest of the story Bruce Brown bbrown@theadvertiser.com

[spearchucker]

There aren't many better people than Brian in this world!

[CajunCharlie]

_ There aren't many better people than Brian in this world! _

The photo that accompanied the article leaves no doubt in anyone's mind which University Brian supports. There was another short article on the next page, I believe. It gave his "take" on collegiate athletic supremacy in LA. I assume that Brian obtained his PT degree through lsu. His statements on athletic supremacy could be considered as heresy by the "you know who" crowd.

[Pirogue]

Brian is great guy, and, despite his injuries, left a mark on the University.

The walls of his office don't surprise me...

[NewsCopy]

Brian Soignier almost got to play quarterback against Texas A&M in UL's historic 29-22 victory at Cajun Field in 1996. Almost, of course, defined Soignier's injury-plagued football career with the Cajuns. "(Starter) Jake Delhomme hit his thumb, and when he came to the sidelines he told me 'You'd better get ready,' " Soignier recalled. "I was nervous, because I was fixin' to go play. I started to warm up, then Jake said, 'I'm all right.' " There were other moments. "(Tight end) Cody Romero had a cast on his hand," Soignier said, "but I remember him making a catch in the corner of the end zone. "I remember Brandon Stokley not knowing what was going on as we went up the tunnel at halftime. He had gotten popped in the first half. He said, 'Brian, what's the score?' I said, 'Quit kidding around,' but he really didn't know." The rest of the story Bruce Brown bbrown@theadvertiser.com