[StBernard] Linebacker Rhett Pritchard proud to be a Chalmette Owl

[Westley Annis]

Linebacker Rhett Pritchard proud to be a Chalmette Owl
by JJ Marshall, The Times-Picayune contributing writer 
Thursday August 27, 2009, 6:55 AM

Born and raised in Chalmette, Pritchard mentions the name of his city and
school at every opportunity.


"We just want to make a name for Chalmette again," Pritchard said. 

When asked who he models his game after, Pritchard didn't think twice about
his answer. 

Not an NFL player, not even an LSU linebacker; Pritchard learned the game
from his Chalmette mentor Ronnie Hebert. 

"He taught me a lot about my reads, and my drops," Pritchard said. "But, he
also taught be about being a leader." 

Pritchard will carry the weight of leading the Chalmette defense this year
as a junior, a task that head coach Jason Tucker knows he is ready for. 

"I trust Rhett, he is my coach on the field," Tucker said. "The kids trust
him, because he puts them in good situations. 

"He's a likable kid, he doesn't boss everyone around. He just leads by
example. He steps on the field, and they know who's in charge." 

Hurricane Katrina moved Pritchard away from Chalmette to his grandmother's
house in the seventh grade. 

"But when I came back," Pritchard said, "I started playing football for
Chalmette." 

Before the storm, Chalmette football was at the top of their district
consistently. 

Tucker sees this junior class, with Pritchard at the helm, as his first
group since the storm to have a chance at the consistency his program has
seen in the past. 

"This junior class is the core of our team," Tucker said. 

"They want to leave their mark here. They were all kind of thrown together
after the storm. But they know the winning tradition of the school, and kids
like Rhett are going to help us get back there." 

This season, Pritchard and his teammates have one goal, and anything else is
a bonus. 

"We just want to make the playoffs," Pritchard said. "That's our main focus
this season. 

"District title would be great, but we're staying focused on getting to the
playoffs and playing in that part of the season." 

Neither the fastest nor the strongest player on the defense, Pritchard still
manages to lead his defense in a manner that Tucker says continues to be
more and more effective. 

"He's the quarterback of the defense; he runs the show out there," Tucker
said. "But he's not the hoopin' and hollerin' type, and kids respond to
that. 

"The kids trust him, because he works hard and gets his guys where they need
to be." 

Tucker says the most improvement he's seen in Pritchard has been with his
strength. 

"He's always had such a good work ethic," Tucker said. "But this offseason,
he has gotten so much stronger. He's already an exceptional tackler, and
with his improving strength, he's going to be so important to us this
season. 

"He steps on the field, and he's not this overpowering looking guy," Tucker
said. "But, everyone knows who's in charge, Rhett understands the game. That
gives him an extra step on everybody, his knowledge is beyond his years." 

Pritchard wants to go to LSU, obviously wants to play football, and "get my
degree and go do something productive in the world." 

For a junior, his maturity shows in his desire to be productive and active. 

His maturity shows in his loyalty to his school and his town. 


>From his constant mentioning of Chalmette, to his role models being from his

own high school, Pritchard seems to be just what his school needs to turn
the program around. 

He's a starter for the baseball team, and is involved in the school's
mentoring program as well. 

But, that is all off the football field. 

On the field, he returns as the leading tackler, and the leader of a team in
desperate need for something good to happen to them. 

"If we could have a poster boy for Chalmette, Rhett Pritchard would be it,"
Tucker said. "As a coach it makes things so much easier when your best one
is one of your right ones. He's a great kid."