Thomas Bachman (left) was named head football coach at Alexandria Senior High School by principal Duane Urbina Friday.
Thomas Bachman (left) was named head football coach at Alexandria Senior High School by principal Duane Urbina Friday.
Thomas Bachman (left) was named head football coach at Alexandria Senior High School by principal Duane Urbina Friday.
With Sam Goodwin having stepped down as Alexandria Senior High’s football coach Dec. 4, the school did not look far for his successor.
Trojans’ assistant and offensive coordinator Thomas Bachman was named as their new coach Friday after helping ASH return to the LHSAA playoffs for the first time since 2012 and for the first time in Class 5A this season.
“I know it’s in good hands,” Goodwin said. “He’s a young, enthusiastic guy that could be here a long time.”
Thomas Bachman (left) takes over as head football coach at Alexandria Senior High School from Sam Goodwin.
The ASH offense became a juggernaut this year, going from 15.7 points per game in 2014 to an average of 46.4 points as they scored at least 35 points each regular season game.
“We’re going to continue to roll down the path that we’ve been heading,” Bachman said. “We want to take a hard evaluation of ourselves first and improve the area that need improving. The things that we did well, we’re going to continue to do those things even better as we move forward.”
This will be the second time he has served as the coach of a program, as he was previously the coach at Bastrop. Bachman went 23-21 from 2011-2014 with the Rams.
Bachman’s football influences run deep, from playing under current Louisiana College coach Dennis Dunn at Evangel from 1998-2001 to his days at Texas Tech where he credits the coaching staff of having an impact of him coaching.
However, his biggest influence comes from his father, John, Sr., who is the coach at Calvary Baptist in Shreveport. He won LHSAA Division III back-to-back titles with the Cavaliers in 2013 and 2014, while also winning the Class 2A title in 2009 with Evangel Christian.
Thomas Bachman (right) was named head football coach at Alexandria Senior High School Friday. With him is his father John Bachman Sr., who is also a football coach.
“I’m fortunate,” the younger Bachman said. “My dad’s a coach. I’ve grew up around it. To be able to pick up a phone and call him, it’s a great relationship we have. Having him as a resource, I learned all those things of what high school athletics is really all about. I saw that from my dad every day.”
Goodwin went 7-14 at the school and led Trojans to a 6-5 record this season. He has been involved in athletics for 50 years and in coaching for 40, most notably with Northwestern State. He won 102 games with the Demons from 1983-1999 — a school record.
Santa Claus announces to the Alexandria Senior High School student body that Thomas Bachman (right) is the new head football coach.
“I always knew of Coach Goodwin, but didn’t know him (until this year),” Bachman said. “Coach Goodwin is a great man. I wish I had a better vocabulary to really describe who Coach Goodwin is. He’s been such an example. I think of all the lives that have been impacted, the situations that he’s had to handle — good and bad — and just how people really matter. He can almost tell you everybody’s name — first and last. You just get a sense from him that you’re important. I hope our relationship continues for a long time.”
Goodwin believes that the Trojans can continue their success and thinks that Bachman is the right solution for the long term outlook of the program.
“I hope he’s like Coach (Butch) Stoker, here for three decades,” Goodwin said, “That’s what we need here. We’ve had so many coaches in such a short time. We need a young guy that’s talented and a hard worker to build this thing where it needs to be.”
