Bayou Jamb 2025 Announces Lifetime Achievement Honorees: Coach Casey Sanders and Coach Jason Thompso
Bayou Jamb is honored to announce Coach Casey Sanders and Coach Jason Thompson as recipients of the 2025 Bayou Jamb Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing their decades of leadership, service, and excellence in Louisiana high school athletics. These two esteemed coaches have not only built winning programs on the field, but more importantly, they’ve shaped generations of student-athletes with character, discipline, and heart.
Voted on by coaching peers and members of the Bayou Jamb Hall of Fame, the Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes individuals who have not only built successful athletic programs but have made a profound difference in the lives of student-athletes. Coach Casey Sanders – West Monroe High School. Coach Sanders served as the Strength and Conditioning Coach at West Monroe High School from 1989 until his retirement after 31 years of dedicated service. As one of the founding pieces of the West Monroe football dynasty, he was the first hire made by legendary coach Don Shows. Coach Sanders worked tirelessly behind the scenes, helping build one of the most respected and successful powerlifting and football programs in Louisiana high school history. His legacy lives on through the strength, toughness, and character of the countless athletes he helped mold.
Coach Jason Thompson – Sterlington High School. Coach Thompson's coaching journey began as an assistant at Ouachita Parish and West Ouachita, before a nine-year tenure at Neville High School, where he served as special teams coordinator from 2007–2010. In 2013, he was named head coach and athletic director at Sterlington High School, where he led the Panthers to an impressive 42–14 record over four seasons, including a Class 2A State Championship in 2016. In 2017, Coach Thompson stepped away from coaching to serve in school administration, eventually being named Principal at Sterlington High School. In 2023, Coach Thompson was named Chief of Staff for the Ouachita Parish School Board and also serves as the Parish Athletic Director.
“Coach Sanders and Coach Thompson exemplify what it means to build champions—not just in football, but in life,” said Patti Thurmon, Director of Bayou Jamb. “Their dedication to their schools, players, and communities has left an incredible mark on Louisiana athletics.”The Lifetime Achievement Awards will be presented during halftime at Bayou Jamb. They will also be recognized at Bayou Jamb Media Day, part of the weeklong festivities leading up to the Bayou Jamb games on August 29–30 at Malone Stadium on the campus of ULM. For more information, event updates, or to purchase tickets, visit www.bayoujamb.com or download the Bayou Jamb app on the App Store or Google Play.
Special thanks to all our Bayou Jamb 2025 sponsors who make this event possible. We could not do this without you!
Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys, Origin Bank, AT&T, Hargrove Roofing and Construction , Acadian Ambulance, Apple Dental, ARMY National Guard, Azure Pools and Spas, Bagby Rental, Bayou Bowl, Bayou Overhead Door, Bobby Williamson Flooring, Brookshires + Super 1 Foods, BSN Sports, City of Monroe, Coca-Cola, Courtesy Automotive, Courtesy Motors, Crafts Galore, D-Bat, Frank Nettles Automotive, Fleet Feet, Gregory Crop Consultants, Huck Productions, Johnny's Pizza, KNOE TV-8, Lamar Advertising, Marion State Bank, Medlin's Metal Roofing, Monroe Communications, Northeast Suspension and Performance, Ouachita Valley Federal Credit Union, Raising Cane’s, Red Zone Fundraising, Rimcor Inc., Ruston Glass & Mirror, Senator Stewart Cathey, Sevenfold Federal Credit Union, Sheriff Marc Mashaw, Signs Now, Sir Speedy, Smoothie King, State Lakes Apparel, State Senator Glen Womack, St. Francis Medical Center, The Digital People, The Radio People, The Tarver Braddock Foundation, Tommy's Car Wash Express, Unitech Training Academy, United Way, Universal Plant Services, US ARMY, Vanguard Realty, and Winnsboro State Bank.
For more information about Bayou Jamb 2025, visit bayoujamb.com, like us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or Tik Tok and download the Bayou Jamb app at Apple Store or Google Play.
