LOUISIANA La. — Imagine what the expectations would be for an athlete that comes from a family that has produced a professional athlete in both the NFL and the NBA.

That’s the situation Lafayette High senior center Nigel Cormier is presented with, being that his uncles Cedric and Kevin Figaro both played professional sports.

Cedric was a two-time All-American linebacker in 1986 and 1987 at Notre Dame, before being drafted in the sixth round by the San Diego Chargers in 1988, while Kevin starred for the University of Louisiana's’s Ragin’ Cajuns basketball team before being drafted in the fourth round by the Atlanta Hawks.

But Cormier doesn’t feel any added pressure.

“It’s good to hear about all of their accomplishments,” Cormier said. “Their accomplishments have helped me set my goals. But I don’t feel any added pressure. Their accomplishments makes it hard sometimes to make a name for myself.”

“It’s unfair to the kid for people to put such great expectations on him because of his family’s accomplishments,” said Lions head coach Mark Barousse. “He’s his own person.”

Cormier has made a name for himself with his unending work ethic and leadership ability.

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Eric Narcisse
enarcisse@theadvertiser.com