With 24 years of coaching under her belt, LSU softball coach Yvette Girouard has put together an impressive resume. And a coach with such an impressive resume has a tendency of letting her voice be heard, even if it means sticking to the way things used to be done.
“I think I’m very much still an old school type of coach,” Girouard said. “I don’t believe in the piercings and the tatoos all over. I believe that to wear to an LSU uniform, you’re special and unique. You’re not like everyone else.”
Freshman Emily Turner, who hails from San Diego, agrees with Girouard.
“At the beginning of the year, I was like ‘why does that make a difference,”‘ Turner said. “But it’s all about having class. [Girouard] wants us to represent LSU in a certain way, and I agree with her 100 percent.”
In just her fourth year at LSU, Girouard has given LSU its first appearance in the Women’s College World Series, earned her 900th victory, and guided four LSU athletes to All-American honors. In her career, Girouard has put together 22 straight winning seasons, as well as leading her teams to 13 NCAA Regionals.
Born in Broussard, La., Girouard began her coaching career at Lafayette High School. Following a short stint at her alma mater, Comeaux High School, Girouard headed off for Lafayette to establish the USL softball program in 1981.
In her two decades at ULL, Girouard put together a program with no scholarships and a $3,000 budget. Advancing the Cajuns to the NCAA Regionals 10 times, Girouard put fourth tremendous contributions in getting ULL on the map.
Girouard said she has certainly improved since she began coaching.
“I believe I’m a much better coach today than I was when I started, or even three years ago,” Girouard said. “I think if you have a bounce in your step and [the players] see you’re energetic, they’ll feed off that.”
Girouard added it is the players who make the entire thing special.
“Athletics is hard,” Girouard said. “It’s hard to play this game and go to school and do all the things we ask them to do. That’s why [the players] are special.”
Perhaps that is why Girouard has put as much emphasis on doing her best for the players’ sake.
“Hopefully, when it’s all said and done, [players] feel like they were treated fair,” Girouard said. “Respect for me is the biggest thing. I’m here to teach them all of life’s lessons.”
Although part of Girouard’s job consists of helping the players succeed not just in softball, Girouard said it is all about being fair.
“When you look back at your career, you want to make sure players thought you were fair with them,” Girouard said. “Am I tough to play for? Absolutely. I demand excellence on and off the field.”
Turner has experienced her fair share of Girouard’s demands, yet said she knows it makes her a better player.
“No matter how much she gets on my case, I can’t ever get mad at her,” Turner said. “I always want to do better.”
And with just one week left in the regular season before LSU enters the Southeastern Conference Tournament, Girouard will be looking to get the most out of her players.
“You are who you work to be,” Girouard said. “That has been the epitome of my whole career. I work very hard and refuse to take no as an answer. I just don’t think there are any shortcuts for hard work.”