St. Frederick’s Friday Night Light

by Nicholas Humble

St. Frederick tight end/defensive end Aaron Thibodeaux enjoys eating Italian and barbecue, and he likes to vacation in Florida where he can go deep sea fishing with his grandpa, but he really appreciates the moments he gets to spend on the Friday night stage on his home field in front of all his family and friends. “Having the home crowd behind you, and having family and friends watching you just makes a world of a difference when you’re playing,” Thibodeaux said.
 

Just three years ago Thibodeaux was sidelined at the beginning of his high school career with a broken collarbone not knowing when he would be able to play again. “My freshman year I broke my collarbone and it was like after that one injury, it was one injury after another. I mean I was out my freshman year and my sophomore year for baseball and football.”
 

Then he started his junior year, and it was as if he didn’t miss a snap. “My junior year I came back, and it was really like my first full year to play. I got All-District, All-Northeastern and All-State for both baseball and football.”
 

Thibodeaux looks up to two people to whom he gives credit for putting him in a situation where he can fulfill his dreams. “God is always in first place and the one that I give thanks to and go too. Without God I have nothing and my dad just in general because he’s always there,” Thibodeaux said. “Any problems I have on the team and school, he’s always there to help me through it. If I need anything, he’s always there to go out of his way and give up something for me to achieve my goal.”
 

Thibodeaux’s favorite teams are LSU and Florida because he has family that goes to both. He would love to play in Tiger Stadium because of the noise and the adrenaline rush, but he would want to play there as a visitor. “If I could pick anywhere to play, probably Ole Miss would be my top and then I like ULL a lot right now, too.”

Thibodeaux says the best attribute he would bring to any team would be his personality. “I’m serious when the time comes, but I can also joke around and bring humor to the team,” Thibodeaux said. “I’m willing to do whatever is necessary for the team.”

Overall Thibodeaux has a passion for football and enjoys the intensity and excitement of playing. “It’s just so much fun, the adrenaline of catching a pass, running somebody over, scoring a touchdown, making a sack, stopping the offense on a goal line. Being under the Friday night lights is just amazing and so much fun to me.”