NATCHEZ — Jerry Baldwin is continuing his winning ways in Ruston, La, and he said it’s just the beginning.

Baldwin, the pastor, principal, head basketball coach and assistant track coach at New Living Word School, has had a successful year ending with two state titles.

After the Lions won the LHSAA Class C State Championship in basketball, the entire team jumped right into track season, and Baldwin said the enthusiasm from basketball season carried over as well.

The Natchez native said his athletes really bought in to the type of training necessary to be competitive on the track.

“It really went smoothly,” Baldwin said. “Our track team is really everybody on the basketball team. It’s a different kind of training, but our kids were committed to winning and to do the necessary work. They submitted themselves to winning a championship.”

The track team started practice late because of the extended basketball season, but Baldwin said they jumped right into training.

“In the first meet they did well, but they progressively got better in time,” Baldwin said. “We started to discover who is best at what events.”

Runners like Fred Evans came up big for the Lions, Baldwin said, as he won first place in the long jump, 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash and as apart of the 4×100-meter relay team.

Baldwin knows what it takes to win, as his coaching experience has led him to several different venues.

Baldwin coached football at Louisiana State University, Louisiana Tech University and the University of Louisiana-Lafayette.

When Baldwin became the pastor and principal of NLW, he knew he would integrate athletics into the program.

NLW added a basketball and track program in 2011, with Baldwin leading the basketball team.

Baldwin said there is an even mixture of academic and athletic excellence at the school, which he said he is proud to see.

“We won state in basketball and track, and we had more honor roll students than ever before, so they go hand in hand, and the next goal for us is to continue academically and winning again next year,” Baldwin said.

Baldwin said the athletes are not basking in their past glories, but instead are in the gym preparing for basketball season to roll around again.

“We’re preparing for next year now,” he said, “We’re playing in team camps in June and July and hope to play about 40 games over the summer.”