McNeese State University - Log Yearbook (Lake Charles, LA)

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a — a = — } THE 1988 SEASON showed no lack of fancy footwork as the men’s basketball team adopted new head coach Steve Welch's ‘‘Welch-Aid”’ program. | @) : Men’s Basketball 187

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ee meee whe te) cy a] a ge ae Se Bide = ae ane ee ge ee ee ae | ge ee © ee ee ee) ENTLY ; et ff er ef ft fe es ; —— rg PO mar ee = Ne CE A a eg ee ee ane te nove came me eens ee ce ee ee ie map ee Stee eee en nme eee he pe mo ten me ene me THE MEN'S BASKETBALL team members included: (front) Michael Cutright, Dave Swan, Dwayne Davis, Dwayne Henry, Terrell Thompson, (back), Tab Harris, Milton Simmons, Anthony Pullard, Mark Thompson, and Kevin Williams. Keith Kelley a nd Robbie Me- lanson (not pictured) also served on the team. David Gough, Freddie Brown and Lorrie Ardoin were man- agers. | 186 Men's Basketball ®

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™teve Welch spent his first season as head coach at M McNeese. He is the sixth head basketball coach in ’ McNeese’s history. The new job represents the fulfill- ment of a career goal he had set 15 years earlier: to head a Division | program. Working his way through the ranks, Welch served first as a player, then as a graduate assistant coach, next as a high school head coach, and finally as a assistant collegiate coach. He has met success at every turn and is now endeavoring to lead the Cowboy team the ‘‘Welch-Aid” way. Now head coach, Welch can implement his own concepts and philosophies of basketball. He believes in the importance of good communication between the players and coaches. “Coaches who are like czars don’t allow their players to ask questions, ’ says Welch. He believes that respect is not gained by brow-beating. Instead, a coach must motivate his players and ‘‘communicate with them.” Welch also instills his “play hard” attitude into his players, and in doing so, lets the student body know that the ‘‘players are normal students” and not “jocks.”’ Welch began his playing career at Lafayette High, lettering for two years and serving as an All-District performer. He earned All-Regional honors at Lee Junior College in Texas. Then he played as point guard at Southeastern Louisiana, claiming conference all-academic honors. After graduating, he became graduate assistant for freshmen while working on his master’s degree. For one year he returned to Lafayette High as head coach, earning a 16-9 record. Welch later returned to Southeastern as an assistant coach. In 1979 he moved to Louisiana Tech as assistant coach for eight seasons. It was here that he laid the foundation for his head coaching position at McNeese. Welch is married to the former Judi Dutreix of Lafayette. They have two sons, Brett and Todd. a ee ee rom [are ‘“ ‘We have to play hard and Basketball Schedule we have Nov. 19 Arkansas Express Nov. 28 New Orleans to play ‘ 9 Dec. 2 Southern Mississippi A. F Dec. 5 Middle Tennessee t h By ry e é Dec. 12 Pepperdine W | h. d ° Dec. 14 South Alabama oget er. 4 e C ail ® Dec. 16 Mississippi State LP , Dec. 19 Houston Baptist Seoooeese Jan. 4 Chicago State oe ‘ Jan. 9 Louisiana Tech A Refreshing Drink Jan. 13 Lamar Jan. 16 Stephen F. Austin £ Jan. 21 Southwest Texas State ‘ : Jan. 23 Sam Houston State ,’. Jan. 28 Northwestern State Jan. 30 Northeast Louisiana Feb. 4 North Texas State Feb. 6 Texas-Arlington Feb. 11 North Texas State Feb. 13 Lamar —s — —— Feb. 15 Texas-Arlington eS ty — Feb. 18 Northeast Louisiana ‘és e e S é Feb. 20 Northwestern State ——— Y jon Feb. 22 New Orleans ie Y Feb. 25 Sam Houston State = “ atonth ™“ Feb. 27 Southwest Texas State ‘ha Ir fit ee Feb. 29 Louisiana Tech : i, a. Be : pees ‘9 Mar. 3 Stephen F. Austin , cae Mar. 8 Southland Conference Playoffs oe ud Mar. 11 Southland Conference Finals x Mar. 12 Southland Conference Finals 188 Men's Basketball @ )