Latour de Force: D-R three sport captain shows strength on field, in class and in comeback

Whatever Lucy Latour does, she puts her all into it.

Not only is the senior a three-sport star athlete and captain for Dighton-Rehoboth volleyball, basketball and softball, she's also a top five student in the Class of 2024, being honored as a South Coast Conference Academic All-Star.

On top of that, she's president of D-R's chapter of the National Honor Society and is heading to Worcester Polytechnic Institute in the fall to study engineering and continue her softball career.

For Latour, that drive on the court, on the field and in the classroom all correlates.

"I know that when I get home I need to do my homework and stay consistent in the classroom," said Latour.

A leader by example, Latour may not be the loudest voice in the room, but she's someone her coaches and teammates know will have their backs and cheer them on.

"She’s going to be the one that when you come in and you’re frustrated after a bad at-bat or even a good inning that’s going to go up to you one-on-one to check in on you and see how you’re doing and she’s kind of like the quiet little mom," Falcons softball coach Katie Holmes said. "They all call her queen because she holds herself up high and she holds everyone else to higher expectations."

"A Lucy Latour only comes around every so often," D-R volleyball and girls basketball coach Jon Pacheco said. "She's just one of those kids that you genuinely know is a good person and has concern for others."

Describing her as one of the most well-rounded athletes he's ever coached, Pacheco recalled the day a then freshman Latour showed up for the first day of volleyball tryouts for the COVID-delayed Fall II season in 2021 despite not having played before.

"She just started passing the ball and hitting the ball and doing almost everything a volleyball player would do with such ease, it was remarkable to watch," Pacheco said, adding the only reason she didn't play varsity her freshman year was due to COVID restrictions on swinging players up and down from junior varsity.

But the diamond has always been where Latour truly shined and Holmes, who took the helm of D-R softball during Latour's freshman year, has been able to watch her flourish.

"To see her go from this really shy and timid freshman who really never spoke to this confident, collected leader who the girls look up to and respect has been really special," said Holmes.

A Taunton Daily Gazette All-Scholastic in each of her three sports every season since her sophomore year, the 2022 Volleyball Player of the Year was off to a strong start to her senior year strong on the court until, just five matches into the season, she suffered a season-ending ankle fracture. Initially, it was thought that she could miss a couple of weeks, but it soon became apparent her time as a volleyball player for the Falcons was finished.

While disappointed, Latour stayed positive and still put her leadership skills and knowledge of the game to work, becoming a de facto member of Pacheco's coaching staff while sidelined.

"It was great to have her mind on the bench to kind of be another person to bump things off of and talk things through with the kids through a player's perspective," said Pacheco.

While Latour enjoyed helping her teammates on the sidelines, she went through daily physical training sessions to ensure she'd be able to get back in the game and help the basketball team during the winter.

Pacheco gave her the option to skip basketball and focus on getting better for softball, both her coaches knew that's just not Latour. She missed the first five games of the basketball season before returning to the hardwood.

"I was upset that I had to miss my volleyball season, so I was super motivated to get back," Latour said, admitting she felt a combination of fear and excitement heading into the season.

Once back, she led the Falcons in both points (120) and assists (122) and earned SCC All-Star honors yet again.

Queen of the Diamond

When spring rolled around, a fully-recovered Latour was amped up and prepared for a return to the diamond.

"I want to be the best this season that I’ve been my entire high school career," said Latour, who is playing with her younger sister, Edy, a freshman pitcher for the first time.

So far, the senior center fielder is living up again to her lofty expectations. Through the first 17 games, she's batting .585 with 26 runs, 38 RBIs, nine doubles and six home runs. Her spring has been highlighted by a three-homer game against Bourne. three of which came in one afternoon against Bourne.

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"She’s such a stellar athlete," Holmes said.

With the Division 3 tournament looming, Latour is laser-focused on her ultimate goal: going out as a state champion.

For Holmes, seeing Latour and the Class of 2024 end their high school career on top would be a dream come true.

"I literally have goosebumps," Holmes said. "It would mean so much to me, and not just me as a coach, but to see them put a goal forth and actually achieve it. But I think state final or no state final, wherever we end up this season, the girls are going to be happy because they did it together."

As she looks towards her post-high school career, Latour said she hopes to earn some playing time for the Engineers next spring and to continue improving her hitting and getting up to speed with college pitchers. Beyond that, she hopes to find her path in engineering in order to obtain a solid career in the STEM field.

"She’s going to leave a lasting impact," Holmes said. "As much as we’re going to miss her as a person, the expectations and standards that she set for the next center fielder that comes to play, that’s the standard that you live up to and that’s what people strive for."

"Her impact as an athlete is one of those that you can't measure," Pacheco said. "Lucy is always going to be one of those kids that's going to have a legacy here with the coaching staff."