Softball – Three of a Kind: Vermilion Parish trio play final games at Lamson Park

Brady Aymond • baymond@theadvertiser.com • May 8, 2010

As best friends growing up, Courtney Trahan, Vallie Gaspard and Kelly Cormier could have never imagined in their wildest dreams the journey their lives would take.

And on Sunday, when the trio from Vermilion Parish make their curtain call at Alfred and Helen Lamson Park on Senior Day, their intertwined careers will come full circle. The Cajuns play host to the UL Monroe Warhawks in a three-game series, beginning today with a 2 p.m. doubleheader. Sunday’s Senior Day game, which will pay tribute to the seven Cajun seniors, is set for noon.

To fully appreciate their trip, though, you have to travel back to when times were much simpler for the three.

"We all grew up playing sports together," Abbeville native and former Vermilion Catholic standout Kelly Cormier said. "We started with biddy basketball when we were eight. We were always on the same team, then we moved onto softball.

"I’ve never been on a softball team without Courtney, ever."

As luck would have it, that special bond would continue into college, as Cormier and Gaspard — who played at rival North Vermilion — visited UL together and both decided to commit to coaches Stefni and Michael Lotief.

Soon after, Trahan followed suit and the trio was reunited, for seemingly the thousandth time.

"It’s a unique situation, I guess," Trahan said. "Kelly and I have been best friends since we were seven years old. I lived five minutes from Vallie, and we spent just about every day together during the summer. We formed a strong bond; we always had a strong core bond.

"We never expected to play together on the college level. It’s like we’re living the dream. We all ended up here and got to live this amazing dream, playing on one of the top teams in the country."

Born Cajuns

While they never expected to all end up at UL, each one of them spent many a night dreaming of donning that Ragin’ Cajun uniform.

"This was my school of choice from birth," Cormier said. "From the first day I started playing softball, I wanted to play here. I grew up coming to the camps, and I spent my whole life just hoping that one day I could play here and it happened."

"I don’t even remember how old I was, but I know me and my dad would go to all the games," Trahan said. "I just watched how the coaches built the program. As I got older, I knew that was where I was going to go."

Naturally, coming from Cajun families certainly didn’t hurt their decision to play for a university which celebrates their own culture.

"Maybe that’s one of the reasons that it attracted me, you could feel that Cajun culture here in the program," Trahan said. "Everyone talks about how it’s a family, and I think that had a lot to do with it."

Trio leaving their mark

Not only have all three spent their four years together at UL, they’ve made significant contributions along the way. Gaspard was a first-team All-Sun Belt and All-Louisiana pick in 2008 and currently leads the Cajuns with a .419 batting average.

Cormier is a two-year starter, has been named to the Sun Belt Conference commissioner’s List for three consecutive years and is hitting .319 on the season.

Trahan is a four-year letter-winner, and like Cormier has been named to the Sun Belt commissioner’s list for three consecutive years.

While Cormier and Gaspard have had their time in the spotlight, Trahan’s work with the Cajuns goes largely unnoticed — at least on paper.

Trahan is the Cajuns’ primary pinch runner, a job she secured her freshman season with UL. Going into her final weekend at Lamson Park, Trahan has scored 91 runs and stolen 24 bases in her career.

"I know I never became a ‘starter’, but I attained more than I thought I was going to," Trahan said. "My freshman year, I just latched onto that job of pinch runner."

Trahan was as equally decorated as Gaspard and Cormier coming out of high school. Trahan was a three-time All-District and All-State player at VC.

She had opportunities to play elsewhere, but said she knew she was supposed to be a Cajun.

"Coming in, coach Mike told me bluntly, you will never play, we have too many players ahead of you," Trahan said. "But I knew I wanted to be a part of something like this.

"My only option was UL. I would rather sit the bench at UL for four years than go somewhere else and be a starter. It’s that important to me."

Saying goodbye

This weekend, that trio, along with the four other seniors — Melissa Verde, Jessica Dupont, Lana Bowers and Brittany Cuevas — will bid farewell to Lamson Park.

The Vermilion Parish crew are dealing with that reality in different ways.

"I’m a big baby, so I almost know I’m going to cry," Gaspard said. "My mom’s going to cry, and that’s going to make me cry. I’m going to miss this. It’s going to be a complete transformation for me. It’s exciting, but it’s also heartbreaking, because I’m going to miss this."

"It hasn’t hit me yet, just like school," Cormier said. "Wednesday, I took my last final and it still hasn’t hit me yet.

"I guess when Sunday comes, it’ll hit me. But we still have postseason, it’s not time to cry on Senior Day."

"I have literally dreamed about Sunday for the past three weeks," Trahan said. "I wake up at least three nights a week. Most nights, it’s a nightmare where I miss the game or I forget my cleats. Other nights, it’s a dream where I get to start my final game here.

"I’m getting more excited as it gets closer. You finally get recognition from the fans and the rest of the team. You’ve been busting your butt for four years; and that one day, you get to take it all in."