When Destrehan baseball fans get their hands on this year’s media guide, they may get the feeling that they are looking at a program designed for a college squad.
And they would be right.
School board member and accountant Al Suffrin wrote and edited the baseball guide, which allowed him to call upon his past experience in the field of sports information.
“My first job was in sports information at Nicholls State and then I served as the assistant sports information director for LSU,” Suffrin said. “Having a college-type media guide for Destrehan is something that I have always wanted to do, and I had that expertise to fall back on.”
While serving as sports information director at Nicholls, Suffrin was recognized by his peers for producing more than 15 national award-winning publications, including several “Best in the Nation” honors.
The glossy media guide is filled with pertinent information on the 2009 Destrehan squad, complete with the team’s schedule, the 2009 outlook, coach and player profiles and both a numerical and alphabetical roster. There is also a feature article on former Wildcat Brandon Stevens, who Destrehan head coach Marty Luquet credited with being a pivotal player during the most successful era in Wildcat baseball history – 2003 to 2005.
“The format we used for the media guide is the typical format that’s used in colleges,” Suffrin said. “That includes the schedule, player and coach profiles and the roster. What’s out of the norm is the section on saluting the seniors.”
That 10-page salute includes photos of Destrehan’s seniors from their Little League days as well as a current photo of the player they have grown into today.
“That was a special section because most of these parents have seen their kids grow up from Little League and have watched them play since that time,” Suffrin said.
The media guide also has a list of all Destrehan players who have played or are playing in both college and the pros and shows the school’s hitting and pitching records since 2001.
“The stats go back to 2001, when Marty became head coach,” Suffrin said. “I would have loved to have stats from when Destrehan first began playing baseball, but high schools just don’t keep up with that information.”
Still though, the records are impressive and are sure to be one of the most looked-at items in the guide.
Suffrin actually began working on the guide, which he calls a labor of love, last August. Since that time, he logged nearly 300 hours to get the finished product together.
“I didn’t want to wait until the new year to start, so I began in August after the summer baseball season and began chipping away at it,” Suffrin said. “They usually set the roster following the summer season, so I was able to get some information early and start working on it.”
Suffrin also sat down with Luquet to get some insight on each varsity player’s strengths and weaknesses.
“He was able to give me a quote and some information on the players, which really helped,” Suffrin said.
But despite Suffrin’s efforts, he said that the guide would have never come together if it wasn’t for the help of Fox Pro Media, Inc., Fred Carter and Brian Howes, the school system’s public information coordinator.
Fox Pro Media donated their printing services, while Carter, who is a co-worker of Suffrin’s, donated his graphic design expertise. Howes came in on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, which was his day off, and took pictures of the players and coaches.
“It wouldn’t have been possible to put this guide together without their help,” Suffrin said. “When we went out for bids for printing services, some of them were as high as $4,000.”
The guide was mailed to media outlets and will also be sent to opposing coaches and college scouts. The guide is also available at the Destrehan concession stand for $3.
“The guide was a lot of work, but I love sports and I love these kids,” Suffrin said. “I am also very appreciative of those who donated their time and resources to make this possible.”
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