Foundation of Athletics with Terry Eidson

De La Salle High School’s athletics program is much more than a collection of talented teams — it’s a community grounded in deep values of brotherhood, accountability, and relentless effort. To explore the rich history and unique culture behind De La Salle athletics, we sat down with Terry Eidson, who has been a coach, mentor, and witness to the program’s evolution since 1981. Terry shares how the foundation of De La Salle sports is built on love and responsibility — not just for winning games, but for building young men who carry lessons of teamwork, discipline, and service into all aspects of life.

He explains how the athletic philosophy is deeply intertwined with academics, emphasizing that success is measured not only by championships but by the character and leadership players develop on and off the field. From humble beginnings with modest facilities to today’s top-tier training environments, Terry reflects on how the program’s commitment to accountability and tradition has stood the test of time. Through stories of tough love, lasting brotherhood, and coaches who lead by example, Terry offers a compelling look at what truly sets De La Salle athletics apart.

Q: What would you say are the foundational principles and values of De La Salle athletics?
A: I would say the foundation of De La Salle athletics is really built on love—love for the brother or the person next to you. Building that love into the program means there will definitely be some tough love, accountability from both coaches and players, and a strong sense of responsibility to one another. This is one of the greatest attributes that often gets overlooked by outsiders who just see us as a school with lots of talented athletes. Yes, we have good athletes, but so do other schools. What sets us apart is the expectation—not only in athletics but also academically—that everyone puts in their best effort and serves one another. For example, in football, if a teammate is struggling, others step up to help, whether that’s working extra with them after practice or tutoring them academically. You see this real brotherhood where everyone genuinely wants to see their teammates succeed. At De La Salle, it’s still very much about the team.

Q: Has the athletic philosophy filtered into the school’s culture over time?
A: The reason it works so well here is that the academic program and the athletic programs work hand-in-hand. The teachers and coaches communicate regularly. Unlike some places where coaches only focus on sports and don’t care about academics or personal life, here the teachers know that if a student-athlete is struggling academically, they’ll involve the coach. And the coaches support that—they don’t complain about missing practice or games because of academics. We truly collaborate to give the student-athletes the best experience possible. Some people think athletes get special treatment, but honestly, they don’t. The coaches and teachers expect them to be fully part of the community and hold them to the same standards as everyone else.

Q: How does De La Salle define success beyond just winning games?
A: I tell our players all the time that winning big games or championships is a highlight that will never go away, but it should never be their only highlight. We want to give them tools and skills to succeed in life, not just in sports. From the football program’s perspective, and I believe the school shares this philosophy, success means having passion for whatever job they do and doing it to the best of their ability. We want them to be the best fathers, brothers, and sons they can be. It’s about effort—not just on the field but in every part of life. It’s challenging with teenage boys, who often have a passion for sports but not necessarily for academics. We try to teach them to bring that passion to all areas of their lives. Many former players have told me they use lessons learned in football to succeed in the business world, and that’s incredibly rewarding to hear.

Q: Are there any examples of people who have led by example, both on the field and in their lives after De La Salle?
A: There are many examples. A lot of our players go on to college and become captains of their teams, which makes us proud. Many former players also enter service careers—in the military, police, firefighting, teaching, or coaching—and they often become leaders in those fields. We see countless alumni who have become bosses, fire chiefs, police captains, and other leaders. That’s a huge point of pride for us. It’s not just about what they did in sports, but how they carry that leadership and responsibility into their adult lives.

Q: How would you say accountability is reinforced daily in practices, games, or team interactions?
A: One of the most important lessons we teach young men is the meaning of being on time. Being on time isn’t just showing up at the scheduled time—it means arriving 10 to 15 minutes early. I used to say this to golfers too, since golf is more individualized coaching, and I’d tell them, “Wherever your teammates are, you are.” This means it’s not about you as an individual but about your relationship with your teammates. In our program, we have a simple rule: if you have to lie, sneak, or cheat, you’re breaking the rules. This covers most bad behavior. Teenage boys will make mistakes, but they need to understand that consequences—like sitting out a game—don’t just affect them but also their teammates who are working hard and doing the right thing. This helps them realize their actions matter and impact others. Accountability extends beyond practice and games. For example, during summer workouts, I’ve had parents tell me their son refuses to miss training or team activities, even for vacations, because he doesn’t want to let his teammates down. That kind of commitment is a big part of our program’s success.

Q: What similarities and differences have you noticed in coaching football, golf, and baseball at De La Salle?
A: Wherever I coached at De La Salle, it was always about building an authentic team experience. Everything we did in football, I carried into baseball and golf as a head coach. We emphasized working hard together and doing challenging things as a team. One of my favorite things was taking the golfers out to run on the track before football practice started. Every year, younger students would be surprised and ask, “Who are those guys?” When I told them it was the golf team running, they’d say, “But they’re golfers!” I’d respond, “No, they’re athletes.” Our golfers lifted weights alongside the football players, which impressed visiting college coaches. Over time, the golf team earned a reputation on campus for working hard and putting the team first—especially when it came to tournaments. They always prioritized team commitments, which I really admired. No matter the sport, the core expectation was consistent: show up where your teammates are, attend practice, don’t skip, and be accountable.

Q: How has the athletic department evolved since you started in 1981?
A: The biggest change has been the facilities. When I first started here in the early '80s, our “weight room” was actually a small office space with a universal machine, and free weights were stored in the locker room. The locker room itself was quite small. Our football field was grass, which was great—until it rained. It was clay-based, not sand-based, so after rain, the field became unplayable. We often had to rent nearby facilities like DVC for playoff games because our field would be too muddy. Soccer players had to deal with those conditions too, kicking balls that would just stop in the mud. Today, our fields, swimming areas, and locker rooms are vastly improved. For example, the tennis courts we once used were replaced by temporary modular classrooms, and basketball courts were where the music room is now. When I was the Athletic Director, the baseball backstop was so poorly designed that balls often flew into the nearby pool, which was dangerous. Thankfully, no one got hurt. Another major evolution is how seriously year-round strength training has become part of our culture. When we started lifting weights in the summer, few local teams did that. Now, almost every sport lifts weights throughout the season. It’s become a key part of our competitiveness and player safety.

Q: If you took a guy from the 80s and transplanted him into a program today, what would surprise them the most?
A: He’d probably say we’re a bunch of wimps! These guys get all this gear now — Nike stuff, a beautiful weight room, and look at this field! The field is awesome. That would be the first thing they’d talk about. Back then, we had nothing like that. We didn’t have full-time trainers or the kind of safety protocols they have now. The kids today get the best gear possible, fully equipped by Nike. Back then, you just had your own stuff, and if you lost gloves, well, that was tough! I think guys from the ’80s would say these kids today are spoiled, but deep down, I’m sure they’d wish they had it like this. There’s no doubt a player from the ’80s would love to be playing now, just for how much nicer everything is.

Q: What’s the one thing you think is most misunderstood about De La Salle athletics from an outsider’s perspective?
A: People think it’s all about recruiting the best athletes. I don’t hear the word “recruit” as much anymore, but back in the ’80s and ’90s, that was the narrative — that we just got all the top players. The truth is, that just never happened. The program and school sell themselves. We’ve always had great coaches and teachers, and it’s a great place to be. But outsiders don’t realize how hard we work. For example, a former player from another school who made it to the pros once came to one of our summer workouts and was shocked at the intensity. I can’t tell you how many guys from other schools come in and say, “This is too hard,” and leave. Our reputation is that the work is relentless — six days a week during the season, including Saturdays. Some coaches won’t give up Saturdays, but we do because we want the best for our kids. It’s not about talent alone; it’s about work ethic.

Q: What would you like to see future De La Salle coaches carry forward from the culture that you and Bob helped build?
A: I’d hope they carry forward the traditions that are so important, the prayer services, the team meetings, the commitment cards, the team dinners. These are small things, but they make a huge difference. I hope they keep holding the kids accountable and aren’t afraid to show tough love. If a player messes up, they have to face consequences — like sitting out a game. That’s part of what the program is about. I also hope coaches remain vulnerable with their players because vulnerability breeds trust and connection. The culture is about brotherhood, sacrifice, vulnerability, and toughness. Football is a contact sport, and we can’t shy away from that either. If I ever came to practice and everyone was just wearing helmets and shorts with low contact, I’d think, “Well, there goes our program.”

Q: Every team has its characters. Who stands out as someone who brought their personality while still embodying the culture you were trying to instill?
A: That’s a great question. There are so many. Let me put it this way — someone who seemed hard to coach at first, maybe a bit stubborn, but eventually bought in and became a great leader. Rashad Floyd is a perfect example. As a junior, he was difficult to coach, but he turned it around and was a big part of our state-record winning streak. I brought him in during his senior summer and told him, “If you want to play college football, you have to listen to your coaches.” He did have a great senior year and a Hall of Fame career at Portland State, and he became a Hall of Famer at De La Salle. He was an outstanding athlete and is now a great father and an entrepreneur in Portland. That transformation is what coaches live for.

Q: What’s the best nickname you’ve ever heard for a player or coach?
A: This might be cheating, but it has to be my nephew, Ryan. When he was a kid at football camp, he was small but super quick. During evaluations, Bob Ladouceur said, “He’s as quick as a flea,” and that nickname stuck for life. Everyone calls him “Flea.” He played at Arizona and was lightning fast, only about 145 pounds. No one calls him Ryan — it’s always Flea. That’s the best nickname I’ve ever seen stick.

Q: Speaking of nicknames, yours is “Cobra.” Can you tell us how you got that nickname?
A: It’s a funny story. When I first joined varsity, I coached JV football and freshman baseball. I focused on special teams because I was a special teams player in high school and wanted to make it fun and motivating. One summer, we started calling ourselves the “Wedgebusters,” a play on “Ghostbusters,” which was a popular movie then. They even gave me a license plate for my truck that said “Buster 85.” Eventually, we watched the movie Cobra during the season. One of the players had Cobra sunglasses, and when I started reading stories of heroic acts to the team, I was wearing the glasses, and they started chanting “Cobra!” I just rolled with it, and it stuck. My wife even bought me a leather jacket like Sylvester Stallone’s character. We called the best special teams players the “Cobra Corps,” and that became a tradition.

Q: When you started in ’81, there were no smartphones or social media. What kind of things do you think players back then would have posted about if they had platforms like TikTok?
A: I honestly don’t think it would be much different than what they post now. Boys are boys — their brains and personalities haven’t changed. They’d be posting about the same things. The difference now is that they have way more information and a bigger platform at their fingertips, which definitely changes some things. But at the core, teenage boys’ personalities and interests remain the same. We do talk to our players about using social media responsibly — not embarrassing themselves, their teams, or their families. We encourage them to keep the focus on the team, not just themselves. That’s true now, and it would have been true then, too.

Q: Are there any team rituals or traditions that started seriously but ended up with some unexpected or funny moments?
A: I don't know if there’s anything specific, to be honest. We always kind of separate things—we know when it’s time to have fun. For example, when I do my "Cobra thing" and we go out there to do a little fun bit about the upcoming game, that was never meant to be serious. It’s always supposed to be fun, and that hasn’t changed. I think one important thing for our program is that, while it is somewhat serious, there is always time to have fun. We definitely have fun. The only ritual that’s become pretty funny now, though it was supposed to be serious at first, is the bet we place on our kickers during Thursday practices to make a field goal. That has become a huge ritual that the kids look forward to. I put five bucks under the tee, and then one of the other coaches added theirs. The kids start chanting, which puts pressure on the kicker to make the kick. So, in a way, it’s serious because we want the kicker to succeed, but we’re also having a great time with it. The kids joke around, and it’s a fun exercise while still being part of practice. That’s probably the only ritual we have like that.

Q: With 40 years of De La Salle High School athletics behind you, looking into the future, what do you think the future looks like for De La Salle and the athletic program?
A: What’s great now is that the school has built a strong reputation within the coaching community because of how we do things here. There’s a tradition, and when you’re interviewing coaches, you can tell who fits with the school culture. Back in the day, we hadn’t fully defined who we were as a school or sports program. That’s been an ongoing process, but now we’ve pretty much established what we want from our sports program. There are definitely certain types of coaches who fit here, and others who don’t. I think we’re in good shape because we understand the kind of personality and character that fits with the school. We’re always thinking about the future, not just living in the present. We constantly ask ourselves, “Who will be the next this? Who will be the next that?” So, we’re always looking ahead and planning for the next leaders.

Q: There have been some very successful coaches here over the years. Who are some not-so-well-known coaches who did something outstanding for the program but didn’t get their due?
A: Before he became a head coach, Justin Alumbaugh was really underrated. I don’t think many people understood the impact he had as a coach for our school. Mark Panella, our quarterback coach, was also underrated. Justin coached our offensive line and linebackers and was a really important part of the program for years. People often talk about Lad because of the natural progression from coaching to head coach, but Justin’s contribution was huge. That’s why Lad and I knew he’d be the next head coach when the time came. Mark Panella was always kind of in the background, but he did an excellent job with our quarterbacks every year. He brought innovative ideas to the offense and helped keep things fresh and competitive. And this goes for other sports as well—there are always coaches making a big impact behind the scenes.

Terry is currently in his 44th year with the school and was inducted into the De La Salle Athletic Hall of Fame in 2023. He continues to work with the students at De La Salle on a daily basis through the Bishop Cummins Scholar Program and as an assistant coach for the football program. In these roles, he continues to guide and mentor future generations of Spartans.