For nearly 40 years as a coach with St. Charles Parish Parks and Recreation, Robert Brown helped give young people direction in life.
And though he’s not 100 percent done by any means – he says he’ll still be available to help out on the sidelines – recently he retired as Parks and Recreation’s assistant director.
Brown officially joined the department in 1995, wanting to give back after his time as an athlete in both high school and college. Brown played football, basketball and ran track during his prep days at Destrehan High School and brought that experience with him into the coaching ranks. Prior to officially accepting a position, Brown volunteered with the department to coach.
“I had the opportunity to play a little high school ball, a little college ball, and I wanted to give back to my community. I didn’t think I’d be doing it for such a long time, but here we are,” Brown said. “It’s really just been a joy, giving back to the community. No matter who it is, it’s a chance to teach kids about sports and teach kids about life in general and people in general.
“I started coaching kids back in St. Rose. And I stuck with it for a number of years and through different jobs, and then I was offered a position with the parish.”
One thing that Brown believed was of vital importance was to teach young athletes the importance of working as a unit, regardless of any differences they might have.
“Especially here in St. Charles Parish, we’re a small community and you have to be able to mix together no matter who you are or where you’re from,” Brown said. “It’s important for kids to understand that about life in general.”
That’s something Brown himself quickly learned about while growing up. Brown was part of the first Destrehan class to graduate from the school’s current site.
“I moved from New Orleans to St. John Parish in the 1970s. That was a lot of integration … I went through a lot of the adversities at Destrehan,” Brown said. “The riots, the fights … but one thing that helped us come together was sports.
“(Former Destrehan coach) Jessie Roussel used to tell us something that always stuck with me. No matter what happens, or how we felt about things, we have to work together as a unit if we’re going to be successful both on the field and off the field. And those are words that stick with me today. We learned that we have to do things together and appreciate and respect the people who are around us. You give respect to get respect.”
Brown said his religious faith has been the most important guide for him in his life.
“I couldn’t do anything without Him leading and guiding me and telling me things to do in life,” he said. “My favorite scripture is in 2 Chronicles 7 when it says, my people who are called by name, my name will humble themselves, turn from their wicked ways, and then, and only then, will you hear from the heavens. So, all those things that I relate in life, that’s a true testament that you have to be willing to turn from old ways to new ideas, new adventures in life, and to accept those challenges. Even if they fail, you have to be willing to accept changes.”
It’s something he’s been able to apply in his career – Brown has in fact worked with all but one of St. Charles Parish’s presidents over the years.
His time with Parks and Rec is an experience he said he’d never trade.
“I’ve coached four or five generations of families in St. Charles Parish. It’s amazing,” Brown said. “To see those kids come back as adults, almost in their 50s and say, ‘That was my coach, listen to what he says – he’s not going to steer you wrong,’ means so much. They respected me so much to work with their kids, their grandkids, and their great grandkids.”
Sometimes, that guidance can lead to the ultimate change of direction in life.
“If there’s just one child that I’ve helped go away from the street life, who I’ve encouraged to work hard in life, then that’s the greatest success I could ever ask for,” said Brown.
