Joey Chustz, one of Denham Springs High’s most accomplished football sons, passed away suddenly on Wednesday.
DSHS principal Kelly Jones confirmed that the 40-year-old Chustz died of natural causes with no warning.
"A tremendous man," DSHS football coach Bill Conides said. "He loved his family. He loved his players. He loved his school. He loved his community. My lasting memory of him will be his joy in the direction the football program was/is heading. 'Coach, I love this, Coach I love that we can do that, Coach I love that we are doing this.' He was a man that loved and expected nothing in return. We could all learn how to be humans from a guy like that."
Chustz was a dominating offensive tackle for the Jackets from 1992-95 and played at Louisiana Tech, where he earned All-American status in 1999.
Jacksonville picked Chustz in the 4th round of the 2000 NFL Draft, making him the first Denham player in modern history drafted by the NFL.
In 2013, Chustz was part of the third class inducted into the Denham Springs High School Yellow Jacket Athletic Hall of Fame. After his induction, Chustz said “This is chosen by your community and it’s humbling to be included in a group of people I’ve looked up to in life.”
A testament to just how attached Chustz was to his hometown emerged in August during The Great Flood of 2016. Despite losing his family’s house to the rising water, Chustz was among a group of men who went house-to-house checking on neighbors and they spent hours helping folks out of their flooded neighborhoods by boat.
For the last several seasons, Chustz was the offensive line coach for the Yellow Jackets and also worked with the sub-varsity teams.
Chustz is survived by his wife Elisabeth, twin children Camden and Payton Chustz, who will graduate later this month from DSHS, and youngest son Oliver, who is in grade school.
http://www.livingstonparishnews.com...cle_9e777d40-3068-11e7-94e3-d397f69086af.html
DSHS principal Kelly Jones confirmed that the 40-year-old Chustz died of natural causes with no warning.
"A tremendous man," DSHS football coach Bill Conides said. "He loved his family. He loved his players. He loved his school. He loved his community. My lasting memory of him will be his joy in the direction the football program was/is heading. 'Coach, I love this, Coach I love that we can do that, Coach I love that we are doing this.' He was a man that loved and expected nothing in return. We could all learn how to be humans from a guy like that."
Chustz was a dominating offensive tackle for the Jackets from 1992-95 and played at Louisiana Tech, where he earned All-American status in 1999.
Jacksonville picked Chustz in the 4th round of the 2000 NFL Draft, making him the first Denham player in modern history drafted by the NFL.
In 2013, Chustz was part of the third class inducted into the Denham Springs High School Yellow Jacket Athletic Hall of Fame. After his induction, Chustz said “This is chosen by your community and it’s humbling to be included in a group of people I’ve looked up to in life.”
A testament to just how attached Chustz was to his hometown emerged in August during The Great Flood of 2016. Despite losing his family’s house to the rising water, Chustz was among a group of men who went house-to-house checking on neighbors and they spent hours helping folks out of their flooded neighborhoods by boat.
For the last several seasons, Chustz was the offensive line coach for the Yellow Jackets and also worked with the sub-varsity teams.
Chustz is survived by his wife Elisabeth, twin children Camden and Payton Chustz, who will graduate later this month from DSHS, and youngest son Oliver, who is in grade school.
http://www.livingstonparishnews.com...cle_9e777d40-3068-11e7-94e3-d397f69086af.html
