There was a gumbo cook-off in Scott today, as a local youth football program hosted a day-long event to raise funds.
The Lafayette Swampcats, a competitive select youth football team that is open to kids from all school districts throughout Louisiana and surroundings, held the event at Cajun Harley Davidson is Scott. There was a gumbo-cookoff, with awards for the best gumbo determined by judges and a people's choice award.
Coach Rusty Noel said the team usually does a block party, but because it's still a little chilly, they're holding a gumbo cook-off. And, like everything else, their plans were impacted by COVID.
"With COVID going on, instead of doing our banquet indoors, we decided to do it at the end of the year, and instead of a fancy banquet, we'll just make it a block party at the end of the year, everybody's outside and we can do their awards," Noel explained.
The group won three national championships this year, he said.
Noel says the Swampcats is about more than football, and events like this are important for families to have a chance to have some fun outdoors - especially during the pandemic.
"At the end of the day, we want our kids to feel special," he said. "We want them to get their awards and feel like they're on a big stage. At the end of the day, they're the most important part, and we want them to feel that."
