Paul Lacoste (Canadian football)

Paul Lacoste

No. #58 (CFL), #52 (XFL)
Career information
Status	Retired
CFL status	American
Position(s)	LB
College	Mississippi State
High school	Jackson
Career highlights and awards
CFL All-Star	1999
CFL West All-Star	1999
Awards	1999 Jackie Parker Trophy 1999 CFL Rookie of the Year
Honors	1994 & 1996 Academic All-SEC 1996 SEC Good Works Team 1996 1st Team All-SEC 1996 2nd Team All-America

Paul Victor Lacoste (born September 3, 1974, Jackson, Mississippi) was a linebacker in the Southeastern Conference at Mississippi State University and in the Canadian Football League.

Early years

Lacoste played his high school football at Jackson Prep and went on to enjoy an outstanding college career at Mississippi State University where he was an All-SEC and All-America selection in 1996.

Professional career

He signed with the B.C. Lions of the CFL in 1998, making his professional debut with the team in 1999. He finished the 1999 season second on the team with 78 tackles, earning him the 1999 CFL Rookie of the Year Award. He had a late start to the 2000 season, after an National Football League tryout, and was later cut by British Columbia.

In 2000, he was signed by the NFL's Indianapolis Colts on January 25, but was released on August 21 of the same year. In 2001, Lacoste joined the XFL's Memphis Maniax, where he made four tackles. In 2002, he signed with the Dallas Desperados of the Arena Football League on May 23, but was cut the very next day. In 2003, the Colts allocated Lacoste to NFL Europe; he was to play for the Amsterdam Admirals but he was cut at the end of training camp.

After football

Currently, he is the owner and head trainer of Next Level Sports, a speed training specialist firm based out of his hometown of Jackson, Mississippi. Lacoste has a Master of Science in Sports Administration from Mississippi State University. NLS alums in the NFL include Floyd Womack, Donald Lee, Mario Haggan, Justin Griffith, and Dennis and Alvin McKinley. Other impressive athletes to come through NLS include: Omarr Conner (former Mississippi State WR), Chaz Ramsey ( Auburn Freshman All-American OL), Rachel Givan (UNC soccer player) and David Traxler (Ole Miss TE).

Paul Lacoste Sports Fit 4 Change

Paul Lacoste, hometown hero, athletic coach and director of Paul Lacoste Sports, had a vision to transform Mississippi and the rest of the country’s perception of the state. What started as just an idea has become a reality: The Paul Lacoste Sports Fit 4 Change challenge presented by Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation.

“It’s no secret that we live in the capital of the most obese state in the most obese country in the world. We are literally the heaviest people on the planet. It’s not something to brag about, so why not turn it into an opportunity to make our state better,” Lacoste said.

The premise of battle is nothing new: the Governor, the House and the Senate often on opposite sides, all fighting to win. But this time, everybody wins. In this second year of the program, there are two new teams – Team State, composed of state employees, and Team Mississippi, a group of citizens who will workout alongside their leaders.

The Goal: lead by example.

During the legislative session, more than 200 participants from across the state will compete with one another to motivate the rest of Mississippi to lose weight.

Participants will train four days per week at Jackson State University's Walter Payton Health & Wellness center, a 100,000 square-foot, state-of-the art facility. To truly measure results, St. Dominic’s Hospital provided health screenings for all participants before training began and will screen participants at the end of the challenge.

In 2010, the group lost over 1400 pounds. So far in 2011, the group has lost over 2225 pounds.