New Iberia Senior High head basketball coach Chad Pourciau has decided to step away from the court, announcing his resignation from the team on Friday. Pourciau will still continue to be employed with the school and retain his offensive coordinator position on the Yellow Jacket football team.

For Pourciau, the decision has been a long time coming, motivated by a desire to spend more time with his family.

“I had started thinking about it last year after our title run and I knew this year for sure,” Pourciau said. “Once football started and then we got into basketball, it got put on hold. As the year went on I knew this was going to be it for me. I’m at the point where I want to go do something with my kids for Christmas or Thanksgiving, go on vacation for Mardi Gras and be a part of that. I don’t want to have to wake up the day after Christmas and be in the gym for practice.”

That constant demand to be “on” for his players left Pourciau drained and, at times, questioning whether or not his family would be better served by him stepping away.

“I was a football guy growing up and I got into basketball later on, so I never dreamed of having this kind of success in basketball,” he said. “I’ve been fortunate to have really great assistant coaches and players. It was a hell of a nine year run and I enjoyed every second of it. As a coach, you know when it’s time. Not that I was losing my love or passion for the game, but I was losing my drive to wake up and get in the gym every single day and do what those kids need me to do to be successful and still be there for my own kids.”

Pourciau made his return to NISH after winning a state basketball title with Breaux Bridge. In his three years in charge of the Yellow Jackets, he amassed an 87-18 record, the school’s first-ever finals appearance and a District 3-5A championship.

According to Pourciau, that success should translate into the job posting attracting several top candidates.

“I would like to think that the job would be attractive,” he said. “Coach Russ did a good job and they were a top six seed in four of five of his years there and I was able to go to the quarters, semis and finals in the three years I was there, so I think there will be some interest in the job. Hopefully we can get somebody in there to continue to keep things moving forward.”

The end of his time with the team doesn’t mean that Pourciau will be hard to find, either at school or on gameday.

“I told the kids that I’m still going to be there to help and I’m always going to be here to help the next guy and keep this thing we have going. I’ll still be around and still be supporting. Go Jackets.”