SPEAKER_01 0:00

Welcome to Finish Strong. Today I'm honored to have Coach Thomas Bachman with us today. And so Thomas Bachman, he's the head football coach and athletic director at Alexandria Senior High School here in Alexandria. He's led that program for the past 11 seasons. Coach Bachman is just a proven leader. He has a strong track record, great success. He's actually guided Ash to state championship appearances in 2020 and 2024. And so he has truly established this program here in our city as one of the premier contenders in Louisiana High School football. But prior to coming to Ash, Coach Bachman served four years as head coach and athletic director at Bastrop High School. He also spent two years as offensive coordinator at Evangel Christian Academy. During his time at Evangel, the team reached the state championship game in 2008 and they captured the state title in 2009. Coach Bachman is a graduate of Evangel Christian Academy and Louisiana College. And Coach Bachman has deep roots here in Louisiana football and just has a passion for leading student athletes. And so his coaching philosophy, as you'll hear, is to emphasize discipline, accountability, and teamwork. His ultimate goal is to prepare his players for success both on and off the field. But off the field, he's also a busy guy. Coach Bachman is a devoted family man. He and his wife Kim are the proud parents of two children, Ella Claire and April. So being a head football coach, an athletic director, a husband, a father, you're probably thinking that Coach Bachman just cruised through life. Well, just like everyone, he's at his bumps along the way. But it's not how you start, it's how you finish. And Coach Bachman definitely has a plan for finishing strong. Coach Bachman, welcome to the podcast. Appreciate you having me on. Great to see you. So as I told you beforehand when we started this podcast, uh, you're one of the guys on my list that I've been wanting to interview. And so I'm glad our timing worked out with this and kind of give you a little off season uh to uh to do this for us today. But thank you for being here with us today.

SPEAKER_00 2:08

I appreciate it. I'm glad to be here. Uh looking forward to it. Certainly admire you. You know, I was thinking about, you know, what are the things that you want to uh communicate and you know as we get into this thing. I I mean from afar, watched you for several years now, know of you more than than knew you, but obviously over the past maybe twelve months got to know each other a little bit more and certainly admire and respect and appreciate uh the example that you set. Want you to know that it's challenging and it's an inspiring. So thank you. I'm honored to be here. Well, well, thank you.

SPEAKER_01 2:38

Thank you for those kind words. And so just hey, t tell us about your life growing up. So where where did you grow up and kind of tell us about the early years of uh of Coach Bachman, Thomas Bachman.

SPEAKER_00 2:49

I guess there's yeah, that's a lot to it when you think how do you where do you begin? You know, I was born in Shreeport. I'm the son of a coach. Uh, you know, very fortunate. You know, as I think back over my life, my parents were incredible. Uh there's four of us, you know, I have an older brother, a younger brother, and then a baby sister. But I was born in Shreeport. Middle child then, right?

SPEAKER_01 3:07

So Yeah, middle boy.

SPEAKER_00 3:08

Middle boy. Uh my brother and I were about 18 months apart. Uh, and then my younger brother came along maybe three and a half, four years uh after that. I was a senior, he was a freshman. Uh, and then my little sister uh about 18 months after that. So close enough in age where, you know, we had really good relationships, really strong. Uh but yeah, born in Shreeport, you know, the son of a coach, you know, athletics has played a huge part in my life uh growing up around the field house. Uh I don't necessarily remember those early years, you know, probably my earliest memories would start. Uh my mom is from Livingston Parish, you know, that area, and kind of remember those those days a little bit. But uh we moved to Katy, Texas when I was in the third grade. And so from third grade through junior high, you know, uh those years played a lot of uh, those are really my deepest, earliest memories of traveling to ball games. My dad was a junior high coordinator uh for Katy, and I can just remember getting in the vehicle and he had scouting assignments, you know, he'd always have to go get ready for the next opponent. He'd have to go in on Saturday morning and present to the high school coaches, you know, the future opponents. And I just remember getting in the car with him and and going to these games, and the older I got, maybe upper elementary, early junior high, you know, he'd start giving me assignments, go down in pregame, start listening to their snap count, just things that he had to uh report back on Saturday. And it's just a lot of fun. You know, Texas high school football is I think we've got great, incredible uh football here in Louisiana. It's second to none. Uh it's funded a little bit different in Texas. So I just remember the huge press boxes and that was always something to eat, and it was just a lot of fun.

SPEAKER_01 4:47

Uh was there any kind of pressure there from your dad to play football or how how did that go?

SPEAKER_00 4:53

No, not at all. You know, we all played, but uh, you know, it was never uh uh in fact he didn't let us play uh some of the the the youth football. You know, we didn't start playing. My older brother wasn't allowed to play till we started playing school ball in junior high. You know, there were some things he's a coach. Uh he didn't like necessarily some of the foundational things that he that he thought yeah he saw from athletes that had played youth ball and stuff like that. So uh it was never any pressure, you know. I mean, sport is what we do, ball is so much a part of our uh our life. But, you know, as far as hey, you're gonna do this, I think he would have he wouldn't have cared one way or the other. Uh, you know, as we go through this thing, I'm probably gonna reference my dad a lot, my mom, dad, uh just really incredible people. I'm very fortunate, you know, and I think I I don't ever recall any strain. I mean, I'm sure that there were times where, you know, I can't believe they're doing this or you're punished or whatever, but you know, a time where where you resent your parents or you're upset, I just don't ever recall that ever being a feeling that that I had regarding mom and dad. You know, I just appreciated the uh the way they went about things, the way that they raised us, the way that they tried to provide for us. You don't know what you don't have uh you don't know what you don't know that you don't have, you know. I mean, it's just uh so uh, you know, it's really hard to to try and sum up here in a couple of minutes, just everything. Yeah. Evangel played a huge part of my life. You know, that high school experience. We moved back to Louisiana going into my eighth grade year. Dad uh got on staff at Evangel. And, you know, those are really the years that that's what I feel like is the foundation of my life. What I learned at Evangel, the coaches that poured into me, the teachers, just uh so much of who I am uh today or who I want to be, maybe would be a better way of saying it, is I just draw back from those coaches that were in my lives, those teachers, you know, on the on the professional level, but uh, you know the spiritual foundation that were poured, that was poured in my life from those years of advantage, man, I just admire it so much. And the older you get, the more you appreciate where you, you know, when you're absolutely a little bit young and immature and you think you got it all, man. The the older I get, the more I admire those people, those men, uh for for the example that they set for us.

SPEAKER_01 7:23

Yes. And and was that during the the championship run? I know there was a championship run.

SPEAKER_00 7:27

It was it was some pretty good years. Very, very fortunate, you know, there. It was the late 90s, early 2000s. Uh it was probably some of the the height of the success of of Evangel and uh played with some incredible people, uh, had some incredible experiences, you know, just a lot of success. Yeah. Uh it's hard to describe. You know, I heard Lou Holt say about Notre Dame. Some uh see if I can phrase this. He said, you know, if you're a part of it, uh it needs no exclam uh explanation. If you weren't a part of it, no explanation will suffice. And that's kind of the way I feel about that. Just to be a part of it was something that was just very incredible. Uh and then you look back, I mean, just the amount of success and and the quality of family and people that that uh that were a part of Evangel at that time, and still, you know, I've just been gone from it for a long time.

SPEAKER_01 8:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:27

But you were exceptional on the football field as well, right? You went on to play college ball after you uh graduated. I I had a lot I had some success. Yes. I was very fortunate that that I played at Evangel for the coaches and you know, um, you know, had had an opportunity, I guess, to showcase some of it. Yeah. Uh I was fortunate. I out of high school I signed with Texas Tech, spent a couple of years at Texas Tech, two and a half. What I was exposed to at Texas Tech, I look back and, you know, I'm not gonna start name-dropping, but it Coach Leach and his tree. Uh obviously Coach Saban in college football probably has the most impressive tree of of anybody in maybe all of football, but certainly modern football. But Coach Leach on the offensive side of the ball, his assistants, the people that played for him, you know, just the teammates that were in that locker room during that two and a half uh year period when I was there, a lot of guys that are having a lot of success in college football uh today. Uh it's pretty it's pretty special, you know. I mean, I I don't necessarily want to start dropping all these guys' names, but you know, you just stay in touch with some of those guys though that you're with. Not a whole lot. I mean, you see some of them on the recruiting trail or whenever, uh, but not necessarily where, you know, it's like a weekly or monthly conversation. I mean, you just in passing every everybody.

SPEAKER_01 9:45

But it impacted you, though, that coaching three and obviously information you got there and and all that.

SPEAKER_00 9:51

Still use it today. I mean, you try and draw on everything that you've been exposed to and and uh piece it all together. And yes.

SPEAKER_01 9:58

Uh so what brought you back to Bassroot?

SPEAKER_00 10:01

What were back to that area? You know, uh finally graduated. You know, I left Texas Tech after two and a half years. I I I was there and then kind of drifted a little bit if I'm uh, you know, just kind of lost. If I, you know, I think back to that time, just what do I want to do? What am I? I had about a hundred hours, uh, hadn't graduated school, and then Coach Dunn was down here at LC. And and, you know, come on, boy, come play for me. Of course, Coach Dunn's played uh still to this day. I talk to him probably weekly. Uh so I went and spent one year with him and and got my degree and uh didn't know what I was gonna do. You know, it was uh my dad was the head coach at Evangel during this time. This would have been 2007, 2008, and uh I remember him saying, Will you come help me this spring? And the rest is history. You know, I never got out of coaching, you know, from that point. So I worked for him in 2008, 2009 uh at Evangel, and then I moved over to Bastrop in 2010, spent a year as uh offensive coordinator for Brad Bradshaw, and then I got the head coaching job whenever he retired, uh, spent four years in Bastrop. Uh learned a lot. You know, I was learning, didn't really know what I was doing. I was uh taking on learning as you go. You better believe it. It was it was a sharp learning curve uh where expectations were high. You know, there wasn't a whole lot of room for, you know, the success that Bastrop had had in the the the mid-2000s, um, the state championships, you know, the expectation was high and trying to navigate that. It was certainly uh I look back and while it was hard going through, we didn't have the success that obviously we had wanted or that they were used to. And uh it played it it's been very it's been great for me uh because I had to learn in such a hurry. I had to take on, you had to, you know, when when things are not going well, everybody's got an opinion. Yeah. So the ability to learn, to show up and battle for kids' hearts and minds, you know, that you gotta find another way to win them, that they know that you care about them as you're very hard on them. You know, that that was just a very uh I learned a lot in a hurry. Uh can remember we scrimmage dash for a couple of years. Uh I can walk over to that track, the old track where it was, walking across the track, kind of looking around, saying, Oh man, I wonder what's up with this place. You know, I kind of wonder it seems like this could be something I didn't know that I was eventually gonna be there, but I I just remember that moment there. Uh so got here in 2015. Um how did that come about? Eleven years have gone fast. You know, I'm trying to remember a couple phone calls. Next thing I know, I'm in Mr. Rubina's office, and okay uh, you know, there's some back and forth. Um it just happened fast, you know, and so that was the spring of 2015, and I guess attack, you know, got to work there that spring, and yeah, eleven years have gone fast.

SPEAKER_01 13:07

Eleven years have gone fast. Well, we've been very fortunate to have you here in central Louisiana, and as a former Ash football player myself, uh I weighed the same amount the way now. Yeah, uh, I was an outside linebacker for Coach Stoker uh back in the day in 1986. Coach Bone? Coach Boniel, he was my my linebacker coach.

SPEAKER_00 13:24

And uh so when I first came around, Coach Boniel would come sit in the in the office with us, just want to uh, you know, what's going on on the board, talk ball. And I mean, you I didn't I knew obviously of Coach, but I didn't know him. But the passion, the man, he loved it. And it it just, you know, it those were fun. Those were those those early years getting to know him. I mean, he would just, you know, come in and sit down in a meeting and and uh obviously the success he had in and football and up the baseball field's pretty pretty incredible.

SPEAKER_01 13:56

So absolutely. Well, I'll just brag on you. You don't need bragging on, uh, but you've brought Ash football to just new heights. I mean, bash football has been in existence a long time. When I played, we had some pretty good days under Scott Stoker as the our quarterback, was he he was in my class, but just the success you've brought Ash to is just unprecedented. And so just bringing it to new heights. So you're setting a new standard, it sounds like the accountability and the program you're building and all that. So just speak to kind of that process over these last 11 years. I mean, I know it didn't start that way from day one, but what would you say some things have kind of attributed to that success over the last 11 years? I know it didn't happen overnight, everyone's like, oh, it's an overnight success, and no such thing as an overnight success. That's right.

SPEAKER_00 14:40

It's it's it's been a lot that has gone into it, you know. I mean, it's it's uh it consumes you, you know. You're you're either occupied or preoccupied with it, you know, pretty much uh every waking moment of the year. Uh you surround yourself with good people. And, you know, while I get one that gets to sit here and I get to have the, I guess the title of head coach, I've been very fortunate that there's a group of guys that we've been together a long time. There's continuity, uh, there's a camaraderie, there's a belief in each other uh that allows you to to make it through the hard times or the difficult decisions or just you know, all those things. And so uh, you know, it starts with that surrounding yourself with really good people. And you know that for me, that starts with Sedarin Freeman. You know, I don't I I don't know how well you know Coach Free, but he is as good as gold. I admire him. Uh he is such an example of a man, a godly man, a godly father, a godly coach. And uh, you know, it's not like you get in deep conversation all the time uh about different things. I don't need the I just admire, I've watched it. What he says is lived it out, right? Yeah. I mean, it's his words have spoken so loudly because of the way that he lives. You know, uh Jackie Skipper's another one, he's been with us from you know here at Ash from the from the get-go. They were both, we worked together all in Bastrop, you know, so uh, you know, that was important. Uh the other coaches that we have, Coach Mercy's an Ashgrad. Uh, you know, I think we're going on year 10, Coach OJ, year 10, Coach Russo. So we've had a lot of continuity. Yeah. Uh just roll up your sleeves and go to work, you know, and and you know, I want to be careful because I don't ever want to be disrespectful of, I mean, uh, Ash has got a deep uh tradition, what Coach Stoker did. Uh I've known of Ash from when I was a player, but you know, that jump into 5A, you know, I can remember when I first came along, there just wasn't a belief that we could compete or that we should compete. Exactly. And it felt like, you know, and I still feel like they're not with us at Ash, but sometimes when it's hard to compete, it's easy to make an excuse that we shouldn't be competing. So therefore people don't try to compete. And uh, you know, from the from day one, I mean that first class with Matthew Beck, I mean, they bought in and they went to work. And uh, you know, it's fun when it starts to turn and people start to believe and and see what can and the building phase of it, man, when everything's new and exciting. Um it's a lot of fun. You know, I thought there were some early years. I thought 2019 was really gonna be the year where we broke through and we went down to Mandeville and got upset in the second round. And, you know, if you were to ask me what's the best roster we've ever had for any one given team, I'd probably tell you 2019. And, you know, that was very, very challenging. Not to like, man, we're never gonna have a roster like this again. I was Jacobian, right? Bud's about to get drafted, Jacobians, you know, about to I really think they're gonna play in the league. And you know, that class after them uh went on to play for the state championship, though. That was a really strong junior group with Joe. COVID, right? 2020, yes.

SPEAKER_01 17:53

Yeah, say well, what a year that was that way, you know. And Northwestern, that that championship outside of Northwestern, right?

SPEAKER_00 17:58

So it it's yes, that was the one one half second away from potentially, you know, uh winning it all. But you know, it's hard to to put it all in. You just put your head down and go to work, you know. And that's uh there's been some good years, been some tough years. Um but I do think there's been a consistency in the coaching staff and then a consistency in our day in and day out approach that you know the most important day we're gonna live is today. Let's make sure we make today count. And that's kind of what we've, you know, when talking about next week or next game or whatever, like we're fixing to make today count. You know, we'll put the blinders on and go to work. And I think that's so much of life. That's why, you know, I I uh I enjoy uh the being consumed with it, you know, because uh one, it helps pass the time, you know. Yeah, I don't you don't have to worry about how time's gonna pass.

SPEAKER_01 18:50

But yeah uh well interesting that you meet Mitch Coach Saban and it wasn't in my one of my questions to you, but you know, you think about him as you know, everywhere he went, he built up the expectations, right? That's right. So at LSU, he brought LSU to a new standard. Even though Alabama had a long history, he also brought that to expect national championships. So when you came to Ash, the expectation wasn't for championships, but now there's somewhat of an expectation that Ash is going to be in there. So it's in a way you've kind of put pressure on yourself. So how is that from a building phase to a sustaining phase? So what's what's the difference there in approach from a coaching standpoint if you're in a building of a program versus sustaining a program? Is there a difference?

SPEAKER_00 19:32

Right. Well, I mean you've all you've got to constantly improve, you know. You don't ever want to leave the the building. You know, there's a difference between having a team and having a program and trying to get everybody to understand everybody has a team every single year, right? Having a program is the things that support the team. Yeah, you know, it's what feeds the team. And when I say feed, what feeds into it, you know, from lower levels, uh, you know, the structure that you've created to develop kids, you know, and and we've made a lot of strides in that area. I'm very, very fortunate that from day one, you know, I've worked for a couple of different principals, but from day one uh with Mr. Abina, then it was Mr. Garrett, then it was Ms. Goodman to Mr. Errington, now back with Ms. Goodman for a while, is that they've given us the structure uh through, you know, you're fighting for the structure that you need so that we can develop kids and just give ourselves an opportunity to compete, you know. Try to tell the kids you can do all this hard work. You know, we it doesn't guarantee us anything but an opportunity. If you don't do the work, we don't, we don't try to make the most of every day. I can guarantee you we're probably not gonna have much of an opportunity uh to accomplish some of the big things. So fortunate that that that we have the structure in place. I mean, there's a lot of support for the program. Uh I love being here. I genuinely do. I have no idea what tomorrow holds. I get asked that question a whole bunch, you know. Certainly had had opportunities, uh, all of us to be other places, but you know, um, I love this community. I love our school, I love what we have going on. I'm proud of what we have going on, and I think that there's more out there to accomplish. So we're just gonna try to stay hard at work.

SPEAKER_01 21:12

Absolutely, absolutely. Well, and and shifting gears here just a little bit to, you know, before I really knew you personally, you know, again, I knew of you, but I knew coaches and people within your program, and everybody just talked about how you invest in and your coaches invest in these kids, not just as athletes, but as people. And that isn't just some trite statement of, okay, we're working on the kids on and off the field. Y'all truly are working on the kids on and off the field. And I know one of your goals is for those to be successful young men. Very few of them will end up playing college. That's right. And even fewer of those kids will end up going to the pros. That's right. You're developing that kid. So talk a little bit about just maybe some of the intentionality y'all go with to build those kids' character and how how does that play into the program?

SPEAKER_00 21:57

Well, I you know, I I keep referencing the staff. I think that that that's so important the way that we interact. You know, I think that bleeds into a locker room. I've heard somebody give it, you know, if coaches love coaches, coaches love players, players will learn to love each other and love their coaches. So I think it starts, you know, there's certainly moments of tension in the staff where we agree to disagree behind closed doors, and uh it gets pretty intense, but I don't think it's ever been where people are trying to undermine or uh sow dissension. And so it starts there. Uh and then you're you're just involved in the everyday life, you know, and there's so much that that that takes place on a given day, a given week, a given school year with these kids and the things that they're they're battling, uh, you know, the hardships at home, the hardships in life, the relationship hard uh hardships. And you know, when you have formed a relationship, you know, they begin to seek out or know that you're available, or not every kid comes to necessarily, you know, me or one particular coach, but when you have a a group of quality guys, they begin to seek those people out. And when there's trust established, you have an opportunity to speak into their lives and help guide them and say, Hey, I've been where you are. I've you you think that's a mistake. Let me tell you about some of the mistakes I've made or where I've missed the mark or where I've come up, like, you know, as the Bible says, though a righteous man falls seven times, you know, he gets up, you know, and I think that's so important, right? You're gonna make mistakes, you're gonna miss the mark. Uh get up, own it, right? Well, don't explain in away, don't, you know. I mean, there's remorse and there's uh but you get up and you move forward and and it's just the day in and day out relationships that are forged because we spend a bunch of time. I mean, our kids sacrifice a lot from from an athletic uh standpoint, our our kids' football, like we're yeah, we're together a lot. Yeah. Uh and uh Wow.

SPEAKER_01 23:56

Well, I can tell there's intentionality there. I mean, there's it's evident all throughout it. And uh I just know that, you know, you know that you're you know, you're kind of hitting up the helm of a big influence on these kids' lives, you know, because a lot of kids grow up without dads around in the house. And I know that's probably no exception with your program. And uh I just remember just a few months ago sitting in your office, and while we're sitting there talking, you get a text about one of your former players, something happened to one of your former players, and I just I I didn't know what the situation was, but I looked at your face of just resolve of just, hey, we're gonna be there for this kid. And so that we're not abandoning this kid, we're there from. I mean, they're part of your family, and that's not some just trite saying, it's it's truly who you are.

SPEAKER_00 24:38

I hope so, you know, and and uh it's certainly what we want. I want to win, I make no apologies for for wanting to win. You know, I think that's important to teach kids, you know, they're gonna that that you strive and you know that there's winning and losing, and you know, I certainly wanna uh people that are managing whatever it is, or you have to have attorney, or you know, there's all kinds of things. You want people to to strive, and I think being competitive and and wanting to win, uh, but the relationship, all the winning, I mean it's the it's the text messages, it's the it's when they come back around, you know. I want to watch them from a distance. We do. I think we do. Uh I'm not a social media guy, so I don't necessarily interact with them on social media. There's so much of that I'm I see where it's so good, but I also see just the downfall of of social media. Uh but I do want the kids to know that hey, watching you from afar, um, I think that a lot of them there's a lot of people in the in the athletic space. Uh, these kids are so visible. When they go on and have success, sometimes people reach out to them and it's I don't know how genuine it is. It's about them attaching themselves to the success that that person I can only, you know, I remember when Bud picked that ball off and, you know, ran it back in the national semifinal game. I can wonder what it's like when he made it to his phone after the game, the amount of people that and and most are well-intentioned. Yes. Not everybody makes it about Bud. It's about, you know, all that stuff. And it's just how overwhelming that can be uh for them, where it's another person that they have to get back to. Hey man, we are here. You know that if you need something, you pick up the phone and you call. And uh it's the relationship, all the wins, you know, that's the thing that uh, you know, my dad set an example for like the winning and losing were were was important, but man, just the relationship with the players, how he generally cared for them. I mean, that was his strength, his ability to connect. Um, I think he was a strong schematic coach. I think all that stuff's important. But when you can get a kid to play for you, I heard Coach A, one of my mentors, say, kids will play hard for you because they're afraid of you. They will play so much harder for you because they love you. And Coach A was one that we probably feared and loved, you know. He was he was a little bit of both of it. So no doubt about that.

SPEAKER_01 27:05

No doubt. Yeah. Wow. Well, that's and you know, and you ask I ask guys all the time, like who are some of the most influential men in your life outside maybe the relationship with their dad. It's a coach. I mean, and I go back and I look at my relationship with my coaches at Ash, and hey, I wasn't the best football player in the world. I was 150 pounds soaking wet, you know, but uh but it was my coaches that had the had the biggest impact on me. I think about those teachers, those coaches, those people in education. And so never, you know, never underestimate the power of our words as leaders, as your leader leading these kids.

SPEAKER_00 27:38

So it's had an impact on me. You know, I feel like most of, you know, I use the guys that were in front of me, you know. I mean, Denny Duran, you know, played a uh a very important role in my life. And, you know, there's so much that you just draw on, you know, you're you're uh, you know, he told me something one time, I thought it was really good. I've told the kids this several times. You know, I stand in front of you all the time, right? You get to see my strengths, right? Make sure you learn from them and you use them. But you also get to see my weaknesses, you get to see my flaws, you get to see my inconsistencies, or maybe where you think I'm, you know, missing the mark. Make sure you learn from those things too. And when you get your opportunity, you remember the things that you didn't like about me and you use that and you'd be a better man. I thought it was really you know, I mean, I thought so transparent. I've tried to tell the kid, like, man, y'all, y'all get to see my all my flaws too. So, you know, learn from the things that, you know, certainly you think that we do well or I do well as a coach, but no doubt, you know, learn from it all because you get to see it all on full display when you're the guy that's up in front of them a lot. You know, they they certainly, if you were to pull them all, they could point out some things right now. Man, I can't stand this without coach. So part of it.

SPEAKER_01 28:50

Uh I know even years later I'd see Coach Stoker in the grocery store. I mean, I'm out of college, I'm out of high school, and you still have that fear factor when you see your head coach. You know, it's just that still you you still have that nervousness about you. So uh so let's talk about your faith. So so grew up in a Christian home, it sounds like church, uh raised in church.

SPEAKER_00 29:10

Uh you know, my I have an uncle who's a Baptist preacher still to this day, my mom's uh oldest brother, uh Uncle Arvin. Uh but really evangel, you know, the foundation of faith, you know. I mean, that was really evangelist evangelism, is what Coach Denny would tell you. And through a high school football program, uh everything was about uh man, Jesus was in front of us, just presented to us daily. And uh I'm really just amazed at it. You know, I don't even know where to draw. I'm trying to think of, you know, uh my earliest junior high elementary, I mean church has always been a part of it, but uh really a a calling and a connection and that relationship were those years at Evangel, uh, you know, Coach Dunn, you know, uh it seemed like at half the team meetings turned into a ministry session or uh uh or a prayer service or uh, you know, just you know, it's where it's where the you it's hard to describe. I'm trying to think of ways to describe it. It's but it's where you got to know who Jesus was, not the the you know, the the living, breathing, uh resurrected Jesus that changes everything. And uh, you know, just those years in evangelicals, and there's certainly been a lot of bumps along the road, you know, times where you look back in your life and you're like, golly, I just I missed the mark. But the foundation of of a relationship with Almighty God and Jesus uh goes back to those years. Uh the the tr I'm talking about deep experiences that you can you can look back on where it it set a trajectory for your life uh were were those years in in high school. Wow.

SPEAKER_01 30:57

And I didn't I didn't prompt you on this, but Coach Dunn's gonna be sitting in that same seat you're sitting in next week. So this two back to back weeks of some great coaches.

SPEAKER_00 31:05

Yeah, he's pretty phenomenal. Coach Dunn is is uh uh, you know, as I've said, you know, I think I said it about my dad earlier, my parents, the older you get, your more respect. Longer I coach, the more appreciation and respect I have for Coach Dunn, the consistency at which he he's gone about things and uh the ability to pick up the phone and bounce things off of him. Uh and the example that he's been again, what what people say is is really only only carries so much weight. I've got to watch uh I've just watched him live it for 20 whatever years, you know, 30 years now that that I've known Coach Dunn. I've got I've got to watch it.

SPEAKER_01 31:42

Yes, yes. So faith integrated with being a coach at a public school. So how does that, how do you integrate your faith in kind of what you do as a coach? How do you I know you probably have to dance some lines there just a little bit in the in the public setting, but how does how does that work for you?

SPEAKER_00 32:02

I don't know. I mean, I don't know that we necessarily, you know, dance. I mean, we have team devotionals, coach free runs it every Friday, you know, or he'll bring in a speaker. And yeah, you know, back to my dad, I think of my dad, you know. Every time I get off the phone, or the majority of the time that I get off the phone with my dad, I'll call him on the way home, um, whatever time it is. And when I get in the driveway, he knows, all right, dad, I'm home, or whatever we're in. The amount of times that he's told me, uh, hey boy, make sure you tell him about Jesus. It's all about Jesus. You know, that that's my dad, you know, that's the legacy that for me that he has, you know. And so I don't know. I think who you are with them uh is very, very important. Uh you know, there's times where if you could sit them down and really quiz them on those things, I mean you pray at the end at the end of practice. I hope that we lead uh I hope we lead a life that they look and say, you know, there it is, you know, that that we model it. You know, I think that's the biggest thing that that we model it. Uh it's just the way you go about life. I don't I don't know that there's, you know, when you say being intentional, you you it's just a part of uh of our daily lives. It's a part of our program. You know, uh there's so many kids in our program that are that you admire. You know, I tell them, you know, I think back to high school. Uh Kenneth Brantley, I hadn't talked to Kenneth since I graduated high school. I don't know what Kenneth Brantley is doing. Kenneth Brantley still has an impact on my life today because I admired him when we were 17, 18, 19 years old, the way he went about his life, the way he, I mean, he was a a godly teenager, and it has an impact on me today. And I think about the kids in our locker room, uh, and you know, tell them all the time the way you're living your life right now is gonna have an impact on your teammates for decades to come. Absolutely. You know, and there's a lot of people that want to uh when you do what's right, there's more people that want to do what's right. They'll they'll follow in. They just need that one guy to probably stay in them. We got so many incredible kids from all types of churches or uh uh uh you know across our city. Uh you know, so hopefully they're setting, you don't need a you don't have to go uh overseas the mission fields, that locker room. Yeah, you know, and and uh hopefully they're you know, the way some of them are living their lives, the way we're them, the example that we're setting as coaches uh is is certainly making a difference.

SPEAKER_01 34:30

Absolutely. It'd be great if you reached out to Kenneth Brantley and found him and said, Hey, I've told that story to him today.

SPEAKER_00 34:36

Yeah, he's he's incredible. I just admire him. Uh I do.

SPEAKER_01 34:39

He was he was pretty he was pretty awesome. I had the opportunity to do that a few years ago. A guy that I was in col right out of college. I was living in Baton Rouge, working in the LSU FA department, and just a guy that went to church with us, he was like in his 30s, and he just grabbed me and said, Hey, let's just start meeting for coffee, you know, once a week. And so he just poured into me kind of for a season of my life. And uh so, you know, time went on, got married, moved here, you know. So that's been ther over thirty years ago now. And uh last year or two, I just said, I wonder where he is today. And so I was able to track him down, call him and just say thank you, thank you. And I said, just want to let him know, you know, yeah, ministry-wise here, all that stuff. So it was just it was a blessing to him now, I know to hear that. So you know, to the guys listening here, you know, if there's been a guy that's impacted your life, uh, go tell him thank you. Go tell him thank you. You never know what that can do for that guy's life. You never know what he may be going through at that time.

SPEAKER_00 35:30

So everybody's walking through something, and it's you know, regardless of what it looks like from the outside. We're all carrying, you know, whatever it may be. No doubt. And it's very real to the people that are walking through it or carrying it. And uh, so I I probably need to do that, tracking him down. I have to get with my wife and say, look him up on Facebook or something.

SPEAKER_01 35:52

Uh well and you know, I know you've mentioned a few guys, your dad, the Dennis Dunn. So who are some other guys maybe currently that kind of pour into your life from a spiritual standpoint, from uh building you up? What who are some of those key guys in your life?

SPEAKER_00 36:05

You know, obviously my father is a huge example. Uh, you know, the these coaches, I mean, and it's not so much that they're uh, you know, I respect Coach Free. I respect Coach Skip. I I mean, I genuinely, you know, just get to watch it every single day, you know, the way they go about it. Uh you know, uh Coach Dunn, you know, my coaches play such a huge uh role in that, you know. But as far as, you know, uh hear that you're picking up the phone and and you're calling, I I don't know that I would, I mean, it would be my dad and Coach Dunn. I have an uncle who uh I was very close with growing up, still close with to today, you know, if I need some advice or you know, the I need to be told the truth or things that I don't want to hear or whatever, I know that he's not afraid to tell me uh exactly what I need to hear, not what I want to hear. Yeah. Uh and you know, uh I think that, you know, as you read, you know, you can draw on other people's, you know. I like to read, uh I like to draw on other people's experiences, you know. Um I enjoy the way Pastor Todd preaches. You know, I I walk out of here on Sunday and, you know, I I think he's a a teacher. And uh I walk away most Sundays with a little bit of more insight, you know, the way that it's laid out, you know. So uh, you know, that would be there's just so many different ways. It's it's how you structure your life and what you're feeding into yourself so much, you know. Uh absolutely. I don't know if that, you know, I'm just saying it's trying to bunch of them. Trying to, you know, I I know you've had Judge David on here, you know, his son plays for us, and so you got an opportunity from a distance. It's not that they're close, you know. Yes, there's a personal relationship, but it's not like you're on the phone. But yeah, you just admire and you're challenged by the way that they go about their lives. And uh, you know, I'd say that that's been a huge part of it. Who do you admire and why do you admire them? And sit there and think about that. You know, what are those qualities that they they exhibit on a on a daily basis? And then, you know, where does that come from? Uh and how do you emulate it and why do you want to emulate it? It's because their heart's in the right place. Absolutely, absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 38:14

So I tell the guys all the time, you know, uh Christian men are born with a birthmark on them, and the birthmark is a target. There's a target on every man's back because there's nothing the enemy would like more to do than take men out of their family, absolutely get them off track. Uh so we talk a lot about boundaries. So part of finishing strong, you know, the name of this podcast is say, what boundaries do we have in our life? So what would you say some boundaries you have in your life to kind of keep the enemy at bay and keep dialed in with the Lord? What are s what are some kind of boundaries that you set around your life?

SPEAKER_00 38:48

Yeah, I just think what you expose yourself to, I mean, in today's world, uh, you know, social media and phones and trying to I'm not a big social media person, you know, I don't want that stuff, you know, I don't want it to affect uh it can be a hundred positive, you know, I tend to gravitate towards the the negative. Uh you know, and then people that'll speak into you, you know. I mean, obviously, uh, you know, my wife, you know, there's there's a there's a partner there, and you've got to have some transparency and some honesty. And uh, you know, that would be a huge part of it, uh, of just uh open access, you know. I mean, where's not a whole lot that you that you keep from each other, and you know, uh it's the way you structure your life. You know, the the daily disciplines, you know, of of how are you gonna start your day, how you gonna end your day. Um, and then how are you gonna be honest with those that can really speak into your life and and uh you know the older I get, it's funny how that my dad is always my dad, and you know, he's always uh an authority figure, but as you get older that relationship begins to change where now he's a confidant, now he's uh, you know, uh you know, and even a little bit of role reversal where now he's seeking you know your opinion on things. So uh very fortunate in that regard. You mentioned having Coach Dunn, you know. I know that Coach Dunn is is one that I can pick up the phone and call at any any point. But uh I just think it's structure, and I I I think that that's uh uh something that you have to you just can never become comfortable with because I look, you know, the biggest thing that I think makes me uncomfortable is is is I know all my shortcomings and and I know all my flaws, and you know, uh the enemy that he can certainly remind you of all those things, and sometimes it makes you feel less than it makes me feel less than, like man, I don't really want these people to know this about me, and I don't really want these people to know you know what I'm saying, just all of that stuff. Yeah. Uh you know, though a righteous man falls seven times, he continues to get up. I think about King David, and you know, uh it's a story. So I heard a uh uh I guess the only uh social media I probably do is YouTube. And I heard a pastor say one time that in all of King David's writings, all his great feats, it never comes from his writings. It's always his shortcomings, it's always his pouring his heart out about where maybe he missed the mark. All of the great things that he accomplished was somebody else telling David's story. It was never, and I don't, you know, you might want to back that up, but it was just the way that he and I was like, man, what a what an incredible way of, you know. I mean, all the things with King David, he was called a man after God's own heart. Yes. And it's you know, and I I never knew that, you know, when you said that that's a great that most of it is he's just you know, it's confession where his great feats that he accomplished was somebody else telling the story of his greatness.

SPEAKER_01 41:46

Ought to be said there, pride. You know, if we're we're boasting about our own accomplishments versus somebody else boasting about our accomplishments, it's two different, two different things. Right. And what you just described is accountability. You know, you have men around you, you've given men permission in your life to speak in your life and hold you accountable. And that's tough sometimes. I mean, just like on the football field, it's tough to say, but one thing's for sure, all of us will say we want to be accountable until we have to be accountable. A hundred percent. And that's when a lot of guys take off. That's right. But it's saying, hey, I want you to hold me accountable, and I'm gonna fall under your leadership. And so that's yeah, I want to hear the hard truths.

SPEAKER_00 42:19

I want to grow. Uh I wanna, you know, um, I want to hear the hard truths.

SPEAKER_01 42:24

Huge, huge boundary around you for that. That that's incredible. Um, so again, you're a busy guy. I mean, you head football coach, athletic director, you're probably at every possible Ash event you can possibly go to. How do you how do you balance it all? How do you balance family life? You're also a teacher, a coach, uh, you know, a friend. How do you balance it all? How how do you balance all of it as a man that's out there that maybe saying, Man, I just don't have enough time of the day. How does one of the busiest guys I know balance it all?

SPEAKER_00 42:55

It's it's time consuming, but it I mean, it's you if coaching's hard to be a part of if it's not a family, I don't know, if your family's not heavily involved, you'll never make it, you know. And so Friday, our life lives revolve around Friday night. You know, I grew up in it and it was a busy life. Man, I had the greatest upbringing, you know, family uh and all that. So I don't know, you know, uh reading, you know, we we talked a little bit prior to this. I think I I said, uh, Kim, how would you answer that? Yeah, how do how do I about it? She'd probably say, you don't. You know, it's it's very time consuming, but it it it's what we do. It's not what I do, it's what we do. I mean, she's in education, she's a teacher over at Caroline Dorman, and uh I mean, it's just uh my job is is also her. I mean, she's she's a part of she's getting to know the kids. You know, Ella Claire's a senior this year, and so uh just a lot of our life has has revolved around it. And you know, but you're probably you don't have a lot of hobbies probably outside of coaching. I feel, you know, I I feel Especially in the season, like I feel guilty if I devote much energy outside of getting ready for the next one and and preparing. And it's not that you don't have moments where you escape escape and and refresh and and things that you enjoy. Uh but it's hard to say that, you know, this is getting the majority of your attention and when you enjoy what you do. I mean, people that live to work and work to live. Yes. Yes. This is what I, you know, I enjoy the uh the busyness of of all that it entails.

SPEAKER_01 44:36

Yeah. So it's a family affair then, right?

SPEAKER_00 44:38

So yeah, the they have to be uh in on it and uh your lives have to revolve around it.

SPEAKER_01 44:43

Friday nights are a lot of fun. Yes. So what would you say that maybe the biggest challenge is when it comes to balancing family and work and all the different responsibilities? What what do you think the biggest challenge is?

SPEAKER_00 44:54

Being present because you're not present a whole bunch. You're gone. I mean, it's early mornings and and late nights and and uh so how do you make as many things as you can? You know, how do you support? I mean, I'm probably the world's worst at, you know, uh being the best of of intentions when it comes to um, you know, appreciating my wife or showing her other than a a word of of following through with action. Yeah. Uh but I would like to say that I I'm at those things. Thank God we're at the point where most of our our life revolves around the school. And so that stuff's easy for me to attend because uh but it's a challenge, you know. It's hard to be present when you can only be be one you you can't be two places.

SPEAKER_01 45:36

And uh and and I'm sure you're pulled from every direction too. I mean, we tell our guys all the time uh a yes is a thousand no's to something else. And so maybe being able to say no sometimes to say absolutely I just can't do it all.

SPEAKER_00 45:48

So I just yeah, uh I have a great life. I it's it's not too much. It's not, you know, I mean, it's it's what you choose to do, right? I mean it's what you choose to do. Exactly. You know, thank God, you know, they know all the kids and they can't wait to come to a lot of the games too. So I mean, we're you know, that is where some family time is spent, is at the ballpark or at the on on the Friday night. And uh and I've got a great job with a great support system too. I mean, there's so much more, it's not like I'm at everything, you know. Mr. Spikes is down at tennis today, and you know, we've got girls' softball tonight, playoff game. So looking forward to heading over there for that. So non-stop. It takes a lot of people, and thank God we have a lot of great people.

SPEAKER_01 46:30

Yes, yes, you're right. Uh okay. Well, now for a little quick little lightning round. Okay. So uh who are three people that can be alive or dead that you'd love to have dinner with tonight if you chose three people?

SPEAKER_00 46:44

Who you know, uh let's see here. You know, it'd be hard not to say my dad and my two brothers, you know, because that's gonna be easy-flowing, relaxing conversation. You know, I mean, it would be hard to say that you wouldn't want to spend some time with with Coach Saban and get to know him. The guy at Indiana right now would be very interesting to pick his brain. Uh you know, who I'm trying to think of who are some of the great military leaders, you know, you'd want to, but as far as an enjoyable evening where it's relaxed, I mean, it would be hard to to to beat uh yourself. Yeah. That you know, that would probably be the first thing I would sign up to. But there's so many people through history that, man, if you could really pick their brain up. You know, I feel like everybody's answer would be Jesus, you know, and and and should be. Uh but um And we will have that opportunity as believers one day to sit around the table, right? It'd be hard to pass up some time with my dad and my brothers. You know, we're all coaches, so I'm pretty sure that would be uh all right.

SPEAKER_01 47:41

So who's Coach Bachman's favorite athlete of all time? If you had to choose a guy or girl, but who's your favorite athlete of all time?

SPEAKER_00 47:50

You know, as as as it's hard would be hard to say that I wasn't a huge Michael Jordan fan, you know, just the the competitiveness, the drive, uh what he accomplished. You know, that was kind of the one I was, you know, getting into it. I enjoyed watching him. I admire Tom Brady, the teammate that he was, you know. I think that's probably now that I'm a little bit older, uh, I appreciate what he did and the success that he had, and then his story, you know, it's not like he just, you know, had success from day one, what he battled at Michigan, and you know, just his story for the success that he's had uh that he's had. Uh my first thought would be it'd be hard not to say Michael Jordan.

SPEAKER_01 48:29

Yes, absolutely. I'm right there with you. That's our that's our generation. We're close enough in the generation to think that he's still the greatest. He is the greatest. No matter what the debate is, uh we'll we'll lay it out. There is no debate. Um okay, so Coach Bauman, coach man, you know, guy, this athletic guy. What's your biggest fear? Well, what's what's something that scares you out there?

SPEAKER_00 48:50

Who? Uh I don't know. Uh missing the mark. I feel like God's favor's been on my life a whole bunch through all of my shortcomings, all of my faults, all of my deliberate like choosing to be less than at times. Uh, you know, I feel like, you know, I've had a lot of favor on my life. I've had a lot of opportunity and that as that you, you know, like, golly, I don't want to waste all the the the gifts and talents and the calling of God when it's all said and done. You know, there there's been a calling that has been placed and you know, the people that you were supposed to impact and reach, and you know, man, you don't want to miss that mark, you know. I mean, I think that's very challenging. Uh for me, I mean, it that would be probably something that I'd point to is that is that, you know, what did I hear? There's only one thing we can take with us to having other people.

SPEAKER_01 49:50

Absolutely, absolutely. Probably the best answer out of our 12 episodes, just yeah. I mean, missing the mark, that's what this is about all about. Like you can start out great, but you don't finish it. Just thinking a game. You can start out great, but if you don't finish it. And so we're all on a journey, we're on a marathon. That's right.

SPEAKER_00 50:07

A lot of a lot of life left. Uh but yeah, um you you won't you wanna, you know, when it's all said and done, I want to know that that I made the people's lives that were in my orbit and my world, that you made an impact and you made their life better. Exactly. I mean, that's that's the biggest thing we tell our kids all the time. When you enter a classroom, make sure the classroom's better because you're in it. When you go into wherever it is, make sure it's better because you're in it. Like truly have a positive impact. You know, not that you're you're constantly looking to please people or say the things they want to hear. I mean, you're but you you're saying the hard things. You know, there's certainly a a certain degree of uncomfortable in all that. But when you walk out of a situation, man, I hope that people say, man, we were better because we were exposed to whatever person, you know, I I want to make everything that I'm a part of, hopefully, better because I choose to be the best version of myself uh in those moments. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 51:03

Being that thermostat in the room versus that's right, just checking the temperature. That's right. So, okay, so last question. So um, so there's guys listening to this, you know, maybe they're not in a good spot in life, maybe they start out strong and they've kind of slipped a little bit, or maybe they're in a strong position. So, what would you say to the guy out there that's listening to say, How do you finish strong? Give us a locker room talk from a successful head coach on how do you finish strong in this life? How do you finish strong in your faith? Uh, because again, ultimately that's the most important thing. So, how do how do we finish strong and not slide on the the way that a lot of guys do and they've slide away from their faith?

SPEAKER_00 51:42

You know, what you expose yourself to, what you open yourself up to, you know, I've I've heard it, you know, who's gonna win, the spirit man or the flesh man? Or, you know, they're about to fight. Well, if I starve one and feed the other, you know, it's what you feed. It's what you consume. And, you know, in today's world where there's so much information that you consume, it's just so much that you you you have to be uh very intentional with what you expose yourself to, what you allow into uh your life. Uh and I think that's a huge part of it, you know. So the the daily disciplines that you set up for yourself are are a huge part of it. Um you know, I enjoyed, I don't know if you're a Jordan Peterson fan. I enjoy Jordan Peterson where he talks about if you're gonna improve no matter how small, you know, what are the things about yourself that you could change that you would change, however small it is, and start there. There is no step too small, right? You have to start somewhere. You know, I think that you know, we all, I'm guilty of it. I think this generation is really uh, I don't guilty is the wrong word, but comparing yourself with everybody else. You know, and I enjoy where he talks about don't compare yourself to others, compare yourself to who you were yesterday. You know, and I think that's a huge part where they're just, you know, and it it's hard for all of us uh with everything you want to compare yourself. Well, I should be this, or I should be just, you know, what what what could you change that you would change? You know, what structure are you gonna put in place and don't compare yourself to uh you know everybody else, you know? Are you a better person or are you moving in the right direction from where you were yesterday? And you know, uh yeah. It's incredible.

SPEAKER_01 53:37

Ready to run through the wall for you, coach. I'm ready. So put me in, coach. Absolutely. I would. I will. But Coach Thomas Bogman, I can tell why you've been so successful and where this is just the beginning. This is the beginning of where God's writing your story. And I just want to encourage you, you know, what you're doing, the way you're pointing into these kids, the way you're pointing in your coaches, that you're building a program, but you're building more than that. You're building mighty warriors for the kingdom. And so I just want to encourage you that that you've got hopefully many, many more years ahead of you and many successes ahead of you. We hope it's right here in Alexandria, but if it's not, uh just know that you'll always have friends here in Central Louisiana. And I'm honored to call you friend, and thank you for being on today. Right back at you. I really appreciate it. Thank you. Absolutely. You got it. Thanks. So in 2 Timothy 4 7, the Apostle Paul's in prison. He's in facing his impending death, and he says these words as a final reflection on his life in ministry. I've fought the good fight, I've finished the race, and I've remained faithful. Needless to say, Paul's life didn't start out strong. Persecuting and killing Christians isn't exactly the blueprint that God has for a man's life. But God had other plans. He said, I want that man. So Paul switched jerseys and made it his life's mission to spread the gospel no matter the circumstances. He made the decision that he would never give up, he would never back down, and he made the decision that he would finish strong. So as you just heard from Coach Bachman, life is not easy. But if you're a follower of Jesus, God has said the same thing about you, man. I want that man. So how will you respond to that? So the purpose of this podcast is not to give you another to-do list or heap guilt or shame on you from how you started or where you've been. The purpose of this podcast is to inspire you to action by hearing how godly men like Coach Bachman didn't just make lofty goals, they make commitments. Because I believe that commitments are greater than goals. Finish strong is a daily decision that requires a daily commitment.