Mouton brothers share love for the game, community

It has been 20 years since the 1995 Rayne High School Basketball Team brought home the state basketball championship.
Members of the team as juniors, twin brothers Byron and Brian Mouton still remember that day vividly. “Like it was yesterday,” said Brian. “We loved that time and the excitement it brought to the school and the city of Rayne.”
That excitement and love of the game are still part of their lives, doing what they love; but this time, on the other side of the court as coaches teaching “life skills” through the 6th Man Sports. However, 6th Man Sports did not happen overnight.
After high school, Byron went on to the University of Maryland, where he helped the basketball team win a National Championship in 2002. After graduation he played professionally overseas and in the NBA minor leagues.
Brian attended the University of New Orleans and has been employed by RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company as Senior Division Manager of Trade Marketing since graduation.
After years of traveling the world, the Mouton twins have settled back in their own communities — Byron in the Washington, D.C., Metro area, and Brian in Rayne. It is and has always been their hope to pass along lessons to a younger generation, not just about basketball, but about life, while serving as an outlet for their lingering passion for the game.
“After you finish playing pro ball, most guys are not sure what to do,” said Byron referring to a time when his life came to a crossroads. “I didn’t want to work a regular 9-to-5 job because I knew I would not like that. I knew what I wanted to do — teach the game I love and work with people in the community.”
So in 2009, Byron took the plunge and created 6th Man Sports, a nonprofit organization that focuses on the fundamentals of basketball while teaching life skills and keeping education priority number one.
The 6th Man organization currently sponsors boys’ and girls’ AAU basketball teams, holds camps in the summer, and runs a youth basketball league during the winter.
In the Washington, D.C., Metro area, Byron was also able to sign a contract with Montgomery Sports Association to begin after-school youth sports programs throughout the school year for some 800 students.
Inspired by his brother’s success and to his urging, Brian was convinced in 2012 to begin his own division of 6th Man Sports for Southwest Louisiana.
“It’s a little more challenging for me,” notes Brian of the 6th Man program. “My brother runs his organization full time, where I’m only able to run it part-time because of my work duties with RJ Reynolds.”
Brian continues, “Growing up, we didn’t have the opportunity to be a part of something like this. So, now we are in a position to give back and help as many student-athletes as we can along the way.”
6th Man has grown tremendously since 2009. It is currently in seven states with over 2,500 student-athletes that participate in the youth programs and events.
Both brothers agree, “It’s important to understand that 6th Man is just not about basketball. The reality is that not every player will become an ‘elite’player. We have to ensure that we are teaching ‘life skills’ and preparing these students for the future, and with that, education is priority number one.”
While speaking of the program, both brothers spoke of the roadblocks that face 6th Man Sports. And like most programs these days, they also face economic challenges.
“Like any venture, it takes a lot of money to run this program,” the two agree. “Most income is from our pockets due to limited financial support. We are always trying our best to find sponsorships and revenue in order keep the 6th Man Youth Program in the community where it will continue to impact the youth in a positive way.”
Monetary donations are always welcomed and deeply appreciated.
The brothers recently completed a most successful season of the 6th Man Youth Program. Their teams collected wins from several national tournaments (7th grade placed third at Nationals in Charlotte, North Carolina; 9th grade placed third at Nationals in Memphis, Tennessee; 10th grade placed second in the Future 150 National Exposure Tournament in Birmingham, Alabama; and 11th grade won the Fab 48 National Exposure Tournament held in Las Vegas, Nevada) and a host of wins in other regional and local tournaments.
The program is making strides and the Moutons hope 6th Man Sports will continue to help youth in many communities, including Rayne.
“Sure, its been 20 years since the 1995 basketball championship,” notes Brian of his Rayne High memories. “Still to this day, we talk to our former teammates. We are even thinking of organizing an alumni game together next year.”
Byron added, “I know our former teammates still think of that time,” while pointing to the championship picture that hangs in the Rayne High gym lobby. “Do something for the community again.”