As an undergraduate student at the University of Southwestern Louisiana, LSU softball coach Yvette Girouard had aspirations of coaching high school softball. Twenty-eight years later, Girouard has managed to transform two major college programs into perennial powers in a span of 28 years. Accumulating more than 1,000 wins in her era, Girouard is just one of three coaches to take two separate schools to the Women’s College World Series.
 
Building a Dynasty
When Girouard graduated from the University of Southwestern Lousiana, she was named the Female Athlete of the Year as a member of the Lady Cajun volleyball team.
Looking to pursue her career aspirations, Girouard served as the coach at Lafayette High School where she began the softball program in 1977.
After a short stint at Comeaux High School, Girouard’s plans suddenly changed after learning USL was set to begin a softball program.
“I just wanted to be a P.E. teacher and a high school coach,” Girouard said. “I enjoyed it, and I absolutely loved it there.”
Girouard was then convinced to accept the job at USL thanks to an unlikely source.
“My mom just told me to do it,” Girouard said.
Girouard accepted not only USL’s coaching position, but also a program with no scholarship players and a $3,000 budget.
“It was night and day between USL and LSU,” Girouard said. “We had no uniforms, and my dad helped me drag the field with his truck.”
After suffering her only losing season of her career, Girouard quit the program.
“I just thought there was no way [to win],” Girouard said. “Other teams had scholarships and support.”
Yet Girouard was convinced to come back after an administrator visited her house to talk her into returning. Girouard then built a program that would soon turn Lafayette into the softball capital of Louisiana.
To collect money to help support the program, Girouard reached out to the community. According to Girouard, the community is what helped mold USL into the program it has become.
“Because we had all that support and the public had to finance our program, they took ownership in the team,” Girouard said. “They really cared about the kids and me and the staff.”
The next 20 years then become history as Girouard led UL-Lafayette to the NCAA Regionals 10 times, which they hosted seven of. Girouard also led the Lady Cajuns to three WCWS, finishing fifth in two of the and a third place finish in 1993.
 
Transforming LSU
In 1997, Louisiana State University began its softball program. Joe Dean, LSU’s Athletics Director at the time, pursued Girouard as the program’s first coach.
But it took three separate occasions for Girouard to finally accept the job.
“I came here three different times to talk to Joe Dean,” Giroaurd said. “I’d be here for hours on end ready to accept the job, but the word “yes” just couldn’t get out of my mouth.”
According to Girouard, her love for a program she took 20 years to build is what caused her to hesitate in accepting the job.
“I was a small town girl who lived in the same house next door to my brother and my mom,” Girouard said. “I was just too emotionally attached to the program.”
It was not until programs began to spring up in Texas and Oklahoma that Girouard realized she would need stronger support in order to maintain her success.
“Texas started a program, so my recruiting base got hit from every side,” Girouard said. “I could see the handwriting on the wall. I knew that this was the opportunity to go.”
In 2000, Giroaurd accepted the job as LSU’s new coach after having spent 20 years in Lafayette.
In the team’s inaugural season, Girouard led the Tigers to the WCWS. And oddly enough, Giroaurd ousted her former team in the NCAA Regional Championship to earn the trip.
“God had a wicked sense of humor,” Girouard said. “I was physically sick that morning. But when I got to the ballpark, I had to look like everything was okay.”
In the next three seasons, Girouard led LSU to a second WCWS in 2004. The Tigers finished No. 3 in the nation after a loss to California. The ranking was the highest ever for the LSU softball team.
Maintaining the Success
Girouard, now in her fifth year at LSU, has struggled to maintain the the success of past years. With an overall record of 23-15 and six games under .500 in the Southeastern Conference, LSU is now battling to just make the conference tournament.
LSU will take on Ole Miss this weekend as the Tigers will look to improve on their standing in the conference. Ole Miss is led by Mary Jane Callahan, who leads the team in batting at .406 and ranks second in RBIs with 18.
“Nothing prepares you for this,” Giroaurd said. “None of us thought the season would go this way.”
According to Girouard, a number of things can be blamed for the sub-par season thus far.
“Everything has just gone against us,” Girouard said. “We can make just one error, but its the one error that costs us the game.”
Despite the struggles for Girouard and LSU, Girouard still maintains her focus of why she coaches.
“It’s not important that the players like me,” Girouard said. “What’s important is that when they leave, that we made them a better player and a better person.”