Jerry Arledge
Glenn Hunt
Kerry Merritt
Mark Ware
Rob Arledge
Tony Osborne
Keith Peveto
Larry Wright Jr.
Mark Sims
Coach Jerry Arledge has been West Monroe’s Defensive Coordinator since 1993, his first year with the Rebels. He has long been considered the top defensive coordinator in Louisiana as well as the nation.
Ole Rebels: Where did you grow up?
Jerry Arledge: I grew up in Oil City, LA. I attended North Caddo HS from 1956-60.
Ole Rebels: What was your favorite sport as a child?
Jerry Arledge: Football!
Ole Rebels: Where did you go to college?
Jerry Arledge: I attended LA Tech beginning in the fall of 1960 and graduated in the spring of 1964. I graduated in Health and Physical Education with a minor in biology. I played LB and OG because in those days we played both ways. Played with Mickey Slaughter, an All American Wide Receiver who also was one of the best offensive coordinator I ever went against.
Ole Rebels: What about your Pro Football Career?
Jerry Arledge: Didn’t have one.
Ole Rebels: What’s your favorite TV shows?
Jerry Arledge: I enjoy anything sports related (ESPN). I also like “The History Channel” and “The Discovery Channel.”
Ole Rebels: What’s your favorite ice cream?
Jerry Arledge: Vanilla
Ole Rebels: Tell me about your family.
Jerry Arledge: I married my childhood sweetheart, Sally right after high school. I have 4 children: Sara Blackwell, William, Libby, and, Rob. They have given me eight grandchildren.
Ole Rebels: What are your Hobbies outside of football?
Jerry Arledge: I use to hunt and fish some. Now I spend most of my time with my whole family.
Ole Rebels: What do you do in the offseason?
Jerry Arledge: Always getting ready for next season…spending time with team that will be coming in the next year; trying to turn the incoming freshman into strong football players.
Ole Rebels: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Jerry Arledge: I would like to still be productive in life. I would like to travel some and will probably continue building house.
Ole Rebels: Besides state championship games, what is your favorite Rebel moments?
Jerry Arledge: One of the things that drew me to coaching at West Monroe was the opportunity to coach Rob his senior year and eventually winning the state championship. No one believed we could win the state championship except for the coaches and the players. There was a picture of a crane eating a frog and the frog was holding on for dear life with his hands around the cranes throat. And the caption said, “Don’t Ever Give Up.” That was the motto of the 1993 team. We beat Destrehan 28-21. The quarterfinal game in 1993 was against Carencro, the defending state championship and all everything Kevin Faulk. We beat them when no one believed we could. We beat them 27-20. Then beating St. Aug 34-33 in Semifinals really stands out. Beating Catholic in 1996 when they had Major Applewhite and Travis Minor, the USA Today player of the year. Beating Midland Lee out of Texas when they had Cedric Benson. All the hype surrounding Texas high school football intrigued everyone. We dominated them, 36-8. And of course being able to coach my grandson, Will Blackwell and winning the 2005 state championship, beating Acadiana, 28-7. Those memories really stand out to me.
Glenn Hunt
Coach Glenn Hunt has been on the West Monroe’s coaching staff since 2000. He was offensive line coach starting in 2000 through the 2008 season. He was recently promoted to offensive coordinator at the beginning of the 2009 season.
Ole Rebels: Where did you grow up?
Coach Hunt: I grew up in Duncanville, TX and attended Duncanville HS. Graduated in 1987.
Ole Rebels: Where did you go to college?
Coach Hunt: I went to LA Tech School between 87-91. Played offensive line along side Saints and future NFL Hall of Famer Willie Roaf. I made first team all-state my senior year and second team All Independent.
Ole Rebels: What about your Pro Football Career?
Coach Hunt: I played one year with the Houston Oilers in 1992.
Ole Rebels: What’s your favorite TV show?
Coach Hunt: 24
Ole Rebels: What’s your favorite ice cream?
Coach Hunt: Pralines and Cream
Ole Rebels: Tell me about your family.
Coach Hunt: I’ve been married 11 years to Laura and have a 7 year old girl, Sadi.
Ole Rebels: What are your Hobbies outside of football?
Coach Hunt: I love golf and watching LSU athletics.
Ole Rebels: What do you do in the offseason?
Coach Hunt: There is no off season! (laughing)
Ole Rebels: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Coach Hunt: Hopefully right here at West Monroe High School!
Ole Rebels: Besides state championship games, what is your favorite Rebel moment?
Coach Hunt: This past Friday night against Neville, the comeback win versus Moss Point in 2000 and after the 3 losses in a row in 2002, getting on a roll and ended up in the state championship game that year!
Kerry Merritt
Coach Merritt has been coaching off and on at WM since 1989. He is currently the Head Coach of the undefeated freshman team.
Ole Rebels: Where did you grow up?
Kerry Merritt: I grew up in Ruston and attended Ruston High School 1980 to 1984. We beat Neville in the 1982 state championship.
Ole Rebels: What was your favorite sport as a child?
Kerry Merritt: Baseball
Ole Rebels: Where did you go to college?
Kerry Merritt: I went to Ole Miss 84-86 and then finished at LA Tech. I graduated with a degree in Health and Physical Education with a minor in Math. I teach math at West Monroe.
Ole Rebels: What’s your favorite TV shows?
Kerry Merritt: I enjoy Three and a Half Men and watch a lot of ESPN.
Ole Rebels: What’s your favorite ice cream?
Kerry Merritt: Pralines and Cream
Ole Rebels: Tell me about your family.
Kerry Merritt: I married Melodi Benton from West Monroe and we have two children; Mitch (11) and Madi (5).
Ole Rebels: What are your Hobbies outside of football?
Kerry Merritt: I play golf and enjoy watching the kids play ball.
Ole Rebels: What do you do in the offseason?
Kerry Merritt: I coach girl’s softball.
Ole Rebels: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Kerry Merritt: Teaching and coaching, hopefully right here in West Monroe.
Ole Rebels: Besides state championship games, what is your favorite Rebel moment?
Kerry Merritt: St. Aug game in 1993 was unreal! Going into overtime and Eddie Stevens interception in the end zone to seal the win! Wow! I coached Eddie as a freshman so it was cool! Beating Neville this year was great. It was a classic and Paul Turner showed what kind of competitor he is.
Mark Ware
Mark Ware is a defensive assistant coach with loads of experience. He was the defensive coordinator on the Haynesville teams that won 4 straight state championships under legendary coach Red Franklin. He was also defensive coordinator on the Ruston teams that West Monroe battled for District and State Championships in the late ‘90s.
Ole Rebels: Where did you grow up?
Mark Ware: Haynesville, LA. I attended Claiborne Academy, within a shout of Haynesville Stadium. I graduated in 1980. I played football, baseball, basketball.
Ole Rebels: What was your favorite sport as a child?
Mark Ware: Football and baseball
Ole Rebels: Where did you go to college?
Mark Ware: I attended La Tech from 1980-85.I graduated with BS Physical Ed. Minor Social Studies.
Ole Rebels: What’s your favorite TV shows?
Mark Ware: I enjoy watching sports and the Military Channel.
Ole Rebels: What’s your favorite ice cream?
Mark Ware: Vanilla
Ole Rebels: Tell me about your family.
Mark Ware: I am married to Lisa Gammill from Jonesboro and I have 2 children, Chelsey, 14 and Jonathan, 10.
Ole Rebels: What are your Hobbies outside of football?
Mark Ware: I love to fish and hunt!
Ole Rebels: What do you do in the offseason?
Mark Ware: Fish and hunt! (laughing)
Ole Rebels: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Mark Ware: Hopefully getting ready to retire from WMHS…I’ve been coaching for 23 years.
Ole Rebels: Besides state championship games, what is your favorite Rebel moment?
Mark Ware: The comeback at St Thomas More was amazing! I had never been a part of a comeback like that. I had been in comebacks but not from that far back. (WM was down at one point 28-7 and won the game 41-28.) What really impressed me was the coaches and players never blinked. They never got down on themselves. It was business as usual. They made their adjustments, never panicked and went to work. It was amazing!
Rob Arledge is a 1994 graduate of West Monroe and was a starting linebacker on West Monroe’s first state championship team. He is the son of Defensive Coordinator, Jerry Arledge.
Ole Rebels: Where did you grow up?
Rob Arledge: Being the son of a coach, I lived in several different places. Where ever dad was coaching, that is where we were living. Natchitoches. Ruston. We moved to West Monroe my junior and senior year.
Ole Rebels: What was your favorite sport as a child?
Rob Arledge: Depended on the season: football, baseball, basketball…I liked it all.
Ole Rebels: Where did you go to college?
Rob Arledge: JC Mississippi Delta and I played baseball from 1994 to 1996. I finished at LA Tech in the winter of 1999 with a degree in exercise science.
Ole Rebels: What’s your favorite TV shows?
Rob Arledge: I enjoy CSI, Entourage, and anything on ESPN.
Ole Rebels: What’s your favorite ice cream?
Rob Arledge: Chocolate
Ole Rebels: Tell me about your family.
Rob Arledge: I’ve been married since 2002 to Amanda Dosher. We have one child, Lytton and he is 3 years old.
Ole Rebels: What are your Hobbies outside of football?
Rob Arledge: No hobbies
Ole Rebels: What do you do in the offseason?
Rob Arledge: I am a assistant baseball coach at WM.
Ole Rebels: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Rob Arledge: Hope to still be coaching at WM.
Ole Rebels: Besides state championship games, what is your favorite Rebel moment?
Rob Arledge: The St. Augustine game in 1993 really stands out. I remember how strong and powerful St. Aug was. And I remember how they took the ball and at will, scored on us. After the first play, I was standing on the sideline hurt. The next play Darren Moody was on the sideline hurt. The interception by Eddie Stephens to win the game stands out. I remember the bus ride home from New Orleans…we were worn out. It was a physical game and the fan bus broke down. They had to ride home on the team bus. We, the players, couldn’t stretch out and we were catching cramps on the way home. I remember Dennis Swanberg was the team chaplain and he had been to every game all year. It became somewhat of a superstition that if he was there we would win. Well, Swanberg was late to the game. He had to fly in to New Orleans, met with us, and left. We were really worried he was going to break superstition. (Laughing) The Moss Point game really stands out. It was my first year coaching. It was a great atmosphere in a great setting. And of course my sack of the Neville QB in 1993 to secure the win is probably my personal greatest highlight!
(WE ALL THANK YOU ROB!!!!!)
Tony Osborne
Coach Osborne has been a coach at West Monroe since 2003. He coaches the cornerbacks.
Ole Rebels: Where did you grow up?
Tony Osborne: I grew up in Ft. Worth, Texas. I attended Brewer High School in White Settlement, TX. I was in the class of 1982.
Ole Rebels: What was your favorite sport as a child?
Tony Osborne: I loved baseball…I played all sports but loved baseball.
Ole Rebels: Where did you go to college?
Tony Osborne: I attended Cameron University in Lawton, OK. I graduated in 1987 with a BS in Health Physical ED.
Ole Rebels: What’s your favorite TV shows?
Tony Osborne: I watch 24, Big Break (golf channel), ESPN (college Football) and all the golf I can.
Ole Rebels: What’s your favorite ice cream?
Tony Osborne: Oreo cookie
Ole Rebels: Tell me about your family.
Tony Osborne: I married Stephanie Miletello of Ft. Worth. We have on child, Connor, who is 16. (Connor is the back up QB for WM.)
Ole Rebels: What are your Hobbies outside of football?
Tony Osborne: I play a lot of golf, play guitar, and love to go on family vacations.
Ole Rebels: What do you do in the offseason?
Tony Osborne: I am the golf coach for the girls and boys teams at West Monroe.
Ole Rebels: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Tony Osborne: I would like to be at WM but would like to be head coach some day…don’t want to look too far ahead though.
Ole Rebels: Besides state championship games, what is your favorite Rebel moment?
Tony Osborne: None can out weigh watching Connor run out for his first varsity game against Leesville. He completed his first pass. He conducted his self in a manner in which he belonged! I was very proud of him!
Keith Peveto
Coach Peveto has been an assistant coach at West Monroe since 1998. He is presently the Tight Ends coach and is also an assistant baseball coach.
Ole Rebels: Where did you grow up?
Keith Peveto: Berwick, LA . Attended Berwick High School and graduated in 1977.
Ole Rebels: What was your favorite sport as a child?
Keith Peveto: Whatever sport was in season.
Ole Rebels: Where did you go to college?
Keith Peveto: I went to McNeese between 1977 and 1979 but graduated from Nicholls State in 1982. Pllayed baseball at McNeese.
Ole Rebels: What’s your favorite TV shows?
Keith Peveto: 24
Ole Rebels: What’s your favorite ice cream?
Keith Peveto: Rocky Road
Ole Rebels: Tell me about your family.
Keith Peveto: I married my wife is Sherry in 2007. I have one daughter. Her name is Deanna and she attends OCS and is on the dance line.
Ole Rebels: What are your Hobbies outside of football?
Keith Peveto: I love to golf and fish as well as traveling with Sherry.
Ole Rebels: What do you do in the offseason?
Keith Peveto: Baseball! Other than there is no off season! (laughing)
Ole Rebels: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Keith Peveto: Maybe retired by then. I’ve been coaching a long time. Not that I’m looking to retire! But when the time comes I hope to be tailgating at every LSU game! Until then I want to be right here at WM!
Ole Rebels: Besides state championship games, what is your favorite Rebel moment?
Keith Peveto: The entire 2000 season! We trailed one time the entire year and that was at Moss Point. That team did not come with all the fanfare of 1998. At halftime of the Moss Point game, everyone was very calm; no one panicked. They knew what they had to do and they came out and whooped them.
Beating John Curtis the first game of that season was also a highlight! I grew up in S. Louisiana so I knew JC and what they were about and respected them. We came out and blew them out!!!
Larry Wright Jr.
Coach Larry Wright Jr. is in his first season with the West Monroe coaching staff. He was the starting running back on the Rebel's first state championship team.
Ole Rebels: Where did you grow up?
Coach Wright: I’ve always had residency in Monroe even as my dad traveled playing pro basketball. I attended different schools beginning with Swayze Elementary. I attended school in Rome, Italy on different occasions. Also attended West Monroe Junior High, Ouachita JH, Ouachita HS and graduated from WMHS in 1994.
Ole Rebels: What was your favorite sport as a child?
Larry Wright: Basketball was my favorite because of my dad playing professionally.
Ole Rebels: Where would we have found you last year?
Larry Wright: I was the Assistant Director of Pro Personnel with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Ole Rebels: Where did you go to college?
Larry Wright: I signed with Notre Dame out of West Monroe, then transferred to La Tech and graduated from there. I got my Masters in Sports Administration from Grambling.
Ole Rebels: What about your Pro Football Career?
Larry Wright: It never materialized.
Ole Rebels: What’s your favorite TV shows?
Larry Wright: I watch Entourage and my wife got me watching Grey’s Anatomy. I also like American Idol and watching sports.
Ole Rebels: What’s your favorite ice cream?
Larry Wright: Blue Bell pecan and pralines!
Ole Rebels: Tell me about your family.
Larry Wright: I have been married for 7 years to Vincincia. I have three kids: Victoria(7), Lauryn (3), and Larry III(6 months) We call him Trey.
Ole Rebels: What are your Hobbies outside of football?
Larry Wright: I like to fish, watch basketball, and travel to visit family.
Ole Rebels: What do you do in the offseason?
Larry Wright: See above! (laughing)
Ole Rebels: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Larry Wright: Hopefully I will be enjoying watching Trey play sports and watching Victoria and Lauryn participating in school activities. And I hope to still be coaching!
Ole Rebels: Besides state championship games, what is your favorite Rebel moments?
Larry Wright: The St. Augustine semifinal game in 1993. My kickoff return for a TD after St. Aug. had scored on us to open the game. Then Eddie Stephen’s interception in the end zone in OT to seal the deal! And then seeing my dad jump out of the stands (the stands were real tall) and running on the field to find me after the game!!! It is something I will never forget and gives me chill bumps!
Mark Sims
Mark Sims has been coaching at WMHS since 2005 when he took over as Head Baseball Coach for Jeff Schexnaider. He also coaches safeties on the football team.
Ole Rebels: Where did you grow up?
Mark Sims: I am from Monroe. I attended OPHS and graduated in 1986.
Ole Rebels: What was your favorite sport as a child?
Mark Sims: Baseball
Ole Rebels: Where did you go to college?
Mark Sims: I attended NLU but did not play baseball. I was drafted out of high school. I was drafted by the Phillies and spent seven years with that organization. Then I went to the Twins and spent 2 years there before ending my career in Cleveland. I attended NLU after my baseball career was over.
Ole Rebels: What’s your favorite TV shows?
Mark Sims: Survivor. That’s about all the TV I watch.
Ole Rebels: What’s your favorite ice cream?
Mark Sims: Mint-chocolate chip.
Ole Rebels: Tell me about your family.
Mark Sims: I married Lana White of Monroe. She attended OCS. We’ve been married for 19 years. I have a daughter, Easton, who is seven and my son, Sterling is four.
Ole Rebels: What are your Hobbies outside of football?
Mark Sims: I love NASCAR and love to play golf.
Ole Rebels: What do you do in the offseason?
Mark Sims: Baseball is all I do but when I get the chance I like to fish with Coach Ware.
Ole Rebels: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Mark Sims: Hopefully still at WM coaching
Ole Rebels: Besides state championship games, what is your favorite Rebel moment?
Mark Sims: My favorite baseball memory was after we beat St Paul to go to state tourney. It had been raining real hard and we were pumping water off the field. People were coming out the stands to help. We had to change uniforms after that because we were so filthy. Then when the game was over, I remember watching Chris Sinclair tackling Shelby Aulds after the last out. My favorite football memory is watching the players react to WM scoring the winning TD against Neville this year. And then Les Aulds interception against Ouachita in 2007 really stands out. I, of course, coached him because he was a safety and seeing him returning the interception for a TD is something I’ll never forget.
