PORT ALLEN — Brad Bass has won five state championships and more than 400 games as Catholic High School's head baseball coach. On Sept. 24, his home parish made it official that it's proud of him.

West Baton Rouge Parish President Jason Manola read a proclamation honoring Bass, a Port Allen High School graduate and parish resident, at the start of the parish council's regular meeting.

Bass has led Catholic High since 2012. Under him, the Bears won state championships in 2013, 2022, 2024, 2025 and 2026, including three straight from 2024 through 2026, according to the proclamation.

His 2024 team went 38-2, won the Division I Select state title and was ranked the top high school baseball team in the nation. Bass earned multiple national coach of the year honors that season, the proclamation said.

Manola handed Bass the framed proclamation and shook his hand as the room applauded. Bass, wearing a Catholic polo, then took the podium.

"I started this thing because I love young people"

Bass told the council he never coached for the recognition, but it meant something to get it from people he grew up around.

"I started this thing because I love young people," he said. "I love the experience I had. I love ... many of the adults in here I knew from when I was a kid."

He said he was "led well" growing up and would never take the chance to coach for granted.

He said what moves him is "the fact that I get the opportunity to change lives every single day."

"I get choked up because I'm so proud to do it. I'm so proud to work at Catholic High," Bass said. "I didn't find that place. That place found me, and it changed my life."

He gestured toward his family in the audience. His oldest daughter was not there, because she had volleyball practice.

"One rule in our house is you don't miss practice," Bass said.

"Hope to see you guys around the ballpark," he said, before closing with a coach's request: if anyone knows any good left-handed pitchers, send them his way.

A 15-inning title game

Manola said he was at Catholic High's most recent state championship game, and it gave him a couple of firsts.

The game went 15 innings, he said. It also produced what looked like a walk-off walk, until the runner was called out at first base for not touching the bag during the dogpile.

Manola said he believed it was the second game of a three-game series, and the team could have let it go. "But they kept fighting, came back and actually won the baseball game," he said.

Manola said sports teach people how to handle failure, noting that a hitter who succeeds three times in 10 can make a lot of money in baseball.

He also shared a smaller story. After a preseason scrimmage years ago, he said, Bass pulled Manola's son, a catcher on the opposing team, aside for about 15 minutes to work with him on receiving.

"He didn't have to do that," Manola said.

"Way overdue"

Council members added their own tributes. Councilman Brady Hotard told Bass the honor was "way overdue."

"As many awesome things as you've done on the field, you're an amazing representation of the coach off the field," Hotard said.

Council Chairman Carey Denstel said he coached Bass as a boy and could see it even then. "He was destined for success," Denstel said.

Councilman Atley Walker Jr. said coaches have a big impact on young people and that he still remembers what his own coaches told him. He encouraged Bass to keep "guiding those young men along the right path."

The proclamation recognized Bass for "his extraordinary accomplishments" and for "the pride and distinction he brings to West Baton Rouge Parish."