Coming back this year after a Championship win the Farmers and Staff are focusing on maintaining their skills, and being focused on being physically and mentally fit! “Our men are currently attending summer workouts beginning at 5:30 am each weekday morning! I want our men disciplined on getting up early, getting in our work outs and trying to stay out of this excruciating heat! My goals haven’t changed in the 18 years of coaching these young men, we are doing the necessary work along the course of the year to make sure we are playing in December! Coming back this year we have Josh Moy, Marko Knighton, C.J. Benson, Ari Slocum, Derrick Dew, and Chase Meeking for the Offensive Team. Coming back for Defensive we have Tyquerius Wilson, Tyreon Traylor, Braxton Patterson, Rontrell Ray, Chase Meeking, and Ladarien Loyd. Our kicker / punter will be Ryan Reeder” states Coach Joe Spatafora. “Each year there is also a turnover, we had 5 from the offensive line and 7 from the defensive line to graduate, but as always we have men in line to pick up those positions and roll with it. These young men are ready for their turn on the field, coming out strong and making a name for themselves.”
“I want to make mention of some new additions this year to our coaching staff. We will be adding Dimitri Carr, Jarred Singleton, and Peyton Talley who will be focusing on our Offensive Team.”
Peyton Talley is a former Union Parish Farmer, playing as an offensive lineman as #54, graduating in 2021. He is the son of Debra and Steve Talley. He went on to play football at ULM in Monroe and near the end of his freshman year he was involved in a head-on collision, which severely broke his femur. Due to this accident football was over for this young Warhawk. He ended up over the summer of 2022 and enrolled at Delta Community College in the fall of 2022 and worked towards getting his general studies / associate degree
In the fall of this year, he will once again become a Warhawk and focus on getting his degree in Sports Management. During the last two years, he has been a student coach under Coach Jerry Ginn and Coach Kyle Stracener at Riverfield Academy working with the offensive line. “Coming back home to Union feels great. I am looking forward to being on the sidelines, learning more from some of the best coaches around. I am proud to be here and look forward to changing some lives and hopefully being a part of bringing back home another championship win. Once I obtain my degree from ULM I would love to come back to Union and teach History and continue coaching football.” Stated Talley
Jarred Singleton was a former Union Parish High School Farmer, graduating in 2019. His parents are April Singleton and Keegan Andrews. Singleton went on to attend Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi, winning back to back conference titles (2022, 2023) playing as a nickel back, linebacker, and running back his four years there . While attending he also became a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. He received a Bachelors of Science in Exercise Science at Delta State and comes back to Union Parish focused on making a difference in young people’s lives. As a former 1st team all-state linebacker for the Farmers he brings back the knowledge instilled in him after years of playing under Coach Spatafora. Singleton has taken a position as a 9th grade Science teacher at Union Parish High School for the 2024-25 school year and this summer he has been served as a PE teacher for summer school. He has been right alongside his former football coach Joe Spatafora for those 5:30 am summer workouts and can’t wait to see what the team has to offer this season. “I am ready to touch our young people’s lives and make a difference. I want to give back, be a good mentor, and make some changes.” States Singleton.
“Coming home for me is exciting and something I have thought about the last 12 years” stated Coach Dimitri Carr.
Carr is the son of the late Charlie Jo Carr and Marsha Ramsey Carr, who is a former Farmerville native, currently living in Grambling. Carr is a 2002 graduate from Farmerville High School, where he was a linebacker for the Farmer’s football team. He was also a powerlifter. He went on to play football at Grambling State University, receiving a degree in Kinesiology / P.E. Health Coach K-12th.
“I couldn’t wait to come back to Union Parish to coach football after graduating from college. I am very thankful Coach Joe Spatafora gave me my first opportunity to coach! I was the Defensive Coordinator for the Farmers and learned a lot from him during those 5 years. My goal to be a head football coach was always in the back of my mind, so when the phone call come in from Arcadia I decided to make the move.”
“Over the last 12 years of being at Arcadia High School I have learned so very much. I went from being focused on just the Defensive Team to focusing on the whole team. That first year was very hard for me and the team, but we survived and even had the chance to play in a play-off game that year. Two years later we even made it to the semi-finals.”
“While being the head football coach I have learned to work hand in hand with others, including the booster club making sure our players have new uniforms, equipment needed and a space to be able to work-out. I have a goal in mind each season to meet for our players, I work hard to meet those goals. I have always said, I need at least 12 good players going into the season, and strive to get just that. I also heavily focus on our junior high squad. These young men are our future varsity players, so building them up helps make the future brighter.”
While at Arcadia, Carr not only served as the head football coach, but also as the athletic director, drove buses and helped out where ever he was needed. He has a passion for the students, and loves that his son graduated from Arcadia High School while he was there.
“I want to reach out to the young men of Union Parish High School, I want to be something positive for them and become a much needed mentor. I have a lot to offer the team and I am looking forward to impacting them daily. I look back on my time coaching with this thought, ‘sometimes you have to leave home to learn what you need in life.’ I needed the experience gained while at Arcadia and look forward to bringing it back home to Union Parish.”
“Coach Spat is a tough coach and he expects greatness from not only the team, but from all of his staff. One thing I have learned about him is, he allows everybody to have a voice around him, he listens to us and he values our opinions.”
Carr has not been told what he will be teaching in the fall and what other roles he will play other than coaching, but he can’t wait to make a difference where he is planted.