Tommy Badon Hired
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns track and field coach Lon Badeaux reached back into the team's historic past on Tuesday when he announced the addition of veteran mentor Tommy Badon as an assistant coach for the 2018-19 season.
The hiring of Badon, a Lafayette native and 1981 graduate of UL, is subject to approval from the University of Louisiana Board of Supervisors.
Badon, who served as an assistant for the Ragin' Cajuns from 1989-97 under legendary coach Charles Lancon, spent the past four years as head track coach and assistant football coach at Lafayette Christian Academy. During his tenure, Badon led LCA to a combined eight district titles in track, the 2018 Girls' Class 1A state title and the 2017 LHSAA Division IV state championship in football.
"Coach Badon has been one of my mentors going back to when I competed in track here, he was one of the coaches that coached me for a couple of years," Badeaux said. "And when things worked out to where I initially looked to him when I was looking for a coach, and I kind of jokingly asked him if he would be ready to come back.
"It's more of a dream for me to work with one of my mentors. His accolades are through the roof. If you're a sprint coach in the United States, you have to go through him through the Coaches' Education. One of the things that we want to do is take over the state of Louisiana, and you're not going to find a better person as knowing everybody and his contacts with the high school coaches. He will help us in getting those type of kids that we need to be successful into the program."
During his first stint at Louisiana, Badon was part of a team that claimed 14 indoor and outdoor conference championships while producing 27 NCAA All-Americans. Badon coached Hollis Conway, the world's No. 1 high jumper in the early 1990's and the current United States record holder in the indoor high jump. His relay teams were ranked third nationally in the Track and Field Relay rankings for the 1993 season.
"I'm really excited to be back at the University," Badon said. "Anybody who knows me knows that I love the University and I love the track team. I really feel blessed that this opportunity came back around. As far as this time in my life, it's just a perfect time to come back. My youngest son just graduated from high school, and I'm looking forward to the challenge and helping getting the track team to where we think that it needs to be.
"We're a first-class University and a first-class program, and we really feel like it's a chance for me to give back and to put back into the program what it gave me years ago."
One of the most decorated and respected track coaches in Acadiana, Badon moved to LCA after a 12-year stint at Westminster Christian Academy. Badon oversaw an athletic department at Westminster that grew and matured into one of the most respected programs in Louisiana. As head football coach at Westminster, Badon compiled a 90-41 record and led his team to five state quarterfinal appearances, eleven consecutive playoff appearances and an undefeated regular season in 2010.
In track, his girls' teams at Westminster won 10 straight district titles, four regional championships and the Class 1A state championship in 2013. His boys' teams captured five district crowns and two regional titles while Badon coached multiple individual state champions, including the only hurdler to win three consecutive 300 hurdles titles in any division.
Badon was named the Class 1A state Coach of the Year in 2013 and was presented the Outstanding Coach Award at the district level 15 times._
Badon's coaching career began in 1981 at his alma mater, Teurlings Catholic High School. He was part of the Rebels' district championship squad in football, where he served as defensive coordinator for a team that went undefeated and unscored upon for 11 straight games in 1982.
After a six-year stint at Teurlings, Badon moved across town to Lafayette High School where he coached a pair of track standouts – Mike St. Julien, one of the best high school jumpers in the country, as well as Pat Frederick, a member of the 1988 U.S. National Junior Team.
In 1987, Badon moved to Blinn (Texas) College and helped the Buccaneers capture two NJCAA indoor national championships and two outdoor national titles
Badon has been active in Coaching Education since 1987. He was a USATF Level I and Level II Instructor for 20 years, and has served as both a TFTC Instructor and an SCC Instructor in the USTFCCCA Coaches Education program since the inception of that program. Badon is an active member in the LTFCA, and has spoken at numerous state association conventions throughout his career, as well as presenting at the USTFCCCA Annual Convention in 2013.
"It's a perfect marriage of what he can do and the rest of our staff can do for the program," Badeaux said. "We're just real excited to get going. On a sentimental side, going back to when he (Badon) was here with Coach Lancon, it's time to come full circle and start winning some championships."
Badon and his wife, the former Susan Domingues, are the parents of three children.
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