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Athletic greatness comes in all shapes and all sizes.

It doesn't come naturally, but is achieved from hard work, diligence and adversity along the journey.

There's opportunity and there's always struggle.

There is triumph and there is defeat, and there is always a story behind the glory.

Dale Weiner is the definition of a man who has the heart of a champion, and the humbleness of a servant.

Dale began his coaching career in 1975 as an assistant under Hall of Famer Jim Hightower.

At Catholic High, a point Coupee coaching stops would follow at Trafton Academy and Saint John of Plaquemine.

But in 1986, he took over a mediocre Catholic of Baton Rouge program.

My very first year as principal, we were 0-4 I remember going up to and saying, Dale, if you don't win this next game, they're going to run both me and you out of here.

So you've got to do something.

The rest is history.

Ladies and gentlemen, let's meet 2025 Louisiana Sports Hall of Famer coach Dale Weiner from Catholic High School.

His son Neal, 317 victories.

Only six coaches in the history of Louisiana football have had more than 15 state quarterfinal appearances, eight semi finals, two championship games, one championship at Catholic High and oh, by the way, this building also has some champions because 18 times Catholic High was a weightlifting champion as well.

Congratulations on all of that, coach.

Well thank you.

You know, we we, like to, make sure that our football players just stay strong, strong and, and just mean really well, it paid results.

I want to go back several years now.

When you were coming out of high school, you were contemplating a career.

Why coaching?

Well, when I was in, Bernard Terrace Elementary School, we would have games there, and, and I did pretty good.

What position did you play?

Was, Guard one, and, tackles on that.

So, so you were mean?

Yeah, yeah.

And, when you were in Baton Rouge, High who who pointed you in the right direction?

Who was the coach that you admired so much?

Had so much fun?

Well, yeah.

So guy named, Boots Garland.

And, he, he, he just seemed to have a love for me, you know, you know, just and, it was funny, which sometimes, you know, that helps you, one time you actin stupid and there won't give you anything.

And good stuff.

But he could tell you loved football.

Yeah.

Oh, yeah.

And he thought you'd be a great coach.

Yeah, well, you you certainly were a great coach.

And I want to ask you about not only the wins, not only the relationships, but what gave you the most satisfaction when you came to work every day, whether it's Catholic high school or some other place, what turns you on and kept you motivated?

Well, When I first got here, Catholic High had a streak.

Losing seasons.

Right.

Four losing seasons.

And, you know, remember in our first, football game, that I was ever in, and have a jamboree with, Woodlawn?

Okay.

Woodlawn.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Well, for the guys to be able to pull off that win early on in the season, especially the first year under that made such a big difference in them believing in themselves.

that was that was always a satisfying thing, for him is to be able to see kids start to believe that they can, that they can win at they really and, and would so the, the excitement, that they made and there's a guy, I can't remember his name, but he was, that linebacker for our team, and he he he got you know, next to me, and he started saying, I can't believe this.

I can't believe this.

And, I said, well, you can understand it.

We're going to do that lot.

And getting used to it.

Yeah.

And he was just a tremendous leader, you know, just very consistent, very giving of himself.

And he knew the audience.

He knew he knew how he had to coach Catholic boys and get them ready for Friday nights.

And, and he had them ready to go.

You.

He was someone that I built a relationship with, but, came to love and trust.

And when he gave me the opportunity to play the game, he believed in me.

He taught determination, fight and resilience, instilling a mantra known throughout the community as the cur dog.

To be a cur dog is to live life genuinely and to the fullest every day.

G line G which means there's a thin line between guts and glory.

Every Friday we would get a letter from the cur dog, and read it there in the cafeteria.

There was a lot of speculation on whether those letters were written by him, or by the actual cur dog himself.

He led the bears to 18 district titles, 15 state quarterfinals, eight semifinals, and to the prep pinnacle, claiming the school's first state football championship.

In 2015.

Everybody I've talked to former players, people that you worked with.

You know what they say about you.

He cares.

And I don't know what higher praise you can get than that.

He cares.

Goes a long way.

Yeah, I get stopped daily.

Former players or former coaches say, hey, how's your dad doing?

How's your dad doing?

All the care and love that he put out for 40 plus years now gets turned, turned back to him.

Now, that now is pretty emotional, isn't it?

Absolutely, absolutely.

Now, downstairs in this building, there's a wall covered with dozens and dozens, maybe hundreds of color pictures of former athletes that you coached.

And it's the Top Bear Wall.

Not everybody gets their picture up there.

What's required to get that place of honor forever?

Well, it's it's, we had, yeah.

Different levels.

It, let the kids that aren't really, you know, Hercules.

Give them a level to achieve at the highest level.

So it was about advancing and reaching your potential, whether your potential was here or up here.

That's right.

Yeah.

Well.

Well, people speak of that wall and they're very proud to be there.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I never made it, you know.

Not the Top bear.

No.

So was power clean bench and squat.

And then, this was for football players.

This is football player.

So.

And this was all about dedication in the off season.

Right to getting stronger.

Right.

Being the best they could be whether they were starters or didn't play much.

Right.

But they were stars on that wall.

Yeah.

I think that was one of the very things that, dad had the ability to do is that the kids knew that he he loved them.

They cared for them.

And it wasn't going to be about him.

And so making it about the kids was always really important that he he was able to express to me.

You know, Neil that kind of leads me to a question I'd like to ask you about your dad.

And that is is there something about your father who was front and center in sports in Baton Rouge for so many decades?

But is there something that the average fan does not know about your dad that that perhaps would be relevant and interesting?

Yeah.

I mean, besides his love for snakes, which is true.

He's actually got a beautiful singing voice.

And for years he actually helped lead praise and worship at our church, here in Baton Rouge.

And actually, probably about 20 years ago now produced a CD of songs that he wrote.

And, so he's actually he's very, very talented guy.

They're all Christian songs that, he felt he was really inspired by the Holy Spirit to, to make.

And, so he's very talented.

He was the head football coach at Catholic High, which is a big deal.

But at the same time, he did not carry himself that way.

You know, you got to be about your kids and everything that you can do for you can't separate faith from the rest of him.

Every game began with prayer.

Every game ended with prayer.

His absolute belief that, God was in control and that God was going to, lead them to where they needed to be to challenge us.

But most importantly, he cared.

And he wanted the best for us the way he brings community together is what Louisiana is and what Louisiana is through and through.

Dale█s career stands as a testament to his enduring power of strength and community.

Forever a CurDog shaping the lives of young people into lasting legacies.

I want to conclude, because I think it's so important and it's universal when I hear people talk about you, and that is what relationship do you still have with former players, some of whom are in their 50s and above and have children and grandchildren of their own?

But what sort of relationship has lasted over the years with your former players?

Yeah, when I see my, former, Players.

Players, it's it's hard sometimes.

It's okay.

It's emotional for you, isn't it?

Yes.

I see tears in your eyes, but I think they're tears of happiness, aren't they?

Yeah, yeah.

Let me pass along.

Congratulations to Dale Winer for being part of the 2025 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.

Well done sir.

Thank you.