Born to be a Tiger

Born to be a Tiger is a children’s story about a father who brings his son to his first LSU football game. This 32-page hard-cover book features beautiful full-color illustrations by Baton Rouge artist Tom Sylvest. Follow along as father and son throw football on the parade grounds, tailgate under the oaks, visit Mike the Tiger, and sing Hey Fightin’ Tiger’s. It’s the perfect gift for Dad and son!
“Born to be a Tiger” by New Iberia native and LSU alumnus Jady Regard.

When Jady Regard set out to write a children’s book on LSU football, he assumed his audience would be children. But since advanced copies of this book began circulating, Regard has been surprised by the reaction of “grown-ups.”

“I’ve seen interest from all ages,” said Regard, of New Iberia. “We’ve had fathers giving it to their sons, sons to their fathers, grandfathers to their sons, mothers to daughters.

“Anybody who has shared this experience has shown interest in it. There’s been no set persons or demographics.”

Regard has been pleased with the reaction to his debut book, “Born to be a Tiger,” published by Regard’s Little Band Man Company. Tom Sylvest Jr. of Baton Rouge provides the illustrations for the 32-page, all color, hardcover book.

“Born to be a Tiger” is the first-person story of a young boy going to his first LSU football game.

“From atop Tiger Stadium you can see all of Louisiana,” the boy begins. “At least that’s what my Dad tells me. I have been hearing stories like this all my life. Today I find out if any of those stories are true.”

The boy and his father head to the LSU campus, where they throw football on the parade grounds, tailgate, visit Mike the Tiger’s cage, march with the Golden Band from Tiger Land and more. At the end of his busy day, the smiling boy goes to bed, telling his dad, “And I think you are right, I was born to be a Tiger.”

The last two pages of the book are blank, except for the headlines, “My Favorite Tiger Autographs.”

Regard, an LSU graduate who also holds a master’s degree from Texas A&M, admits the story is autobiographical. But he says it can be shared by many.

“LSU football is a real tradition for a lot of families in south Louisiana,” said Regard, the former general manager of the Louisiana IceGators hockey team. “It’s a way we share time together, and for a lot of people, it just comes natural.

“I had a lady buy this book for her grandson and it was his first game. They used it like a map.

“With the autograph section, it becomes a keepsake. A child might get Les Mile's autograph and 20 years from now, he’ll have some cool stories to tell.”

Regard also has stories to tell about the book, his first journey into publishing. Instead of trying to sell his work to a publisher, Regard decided to pay and supervise the project from start to finish— from the initial idea to writing and publication to shipping and distribution.

The book also becomes a part of The Little Band Man Company, which creates miniature college marching bands like LSU, Texas A&M and Ohio State. Sets of these hand-sculpted and hand-painted figures of white metal sell for as much as $375.

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"Two Paws Up, Way Up!"
Mike the Tiger