By Chris Macaluso
LSUspoerts.net
Yvette Girouard had mixed feelings when she stood in the third-base coach’s box in LSU Softball’s Tiger Park the past four seasons.
Every time the tape of pre-game by the LSU band was played on the public address system to excite the crowd before a softball game, Girouard said she got goose bumps.
Not an uncommon reaction for Tiger fans but Girouard’s problem was she was coaching the UL-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns, LSU’s long-time intrastate rival.
“I’ve been going to Tiger football games since I was seven years old,” she said. “I know what it’s like to sit in that stadium and feel that kind of excitement.”
So, when Girouard had the opportunity to be a part of that excitement by taking the softball coaching job at LSU before the start of this season, she jumped at the chance. Not simply because it was a pay raise and a chance to compete at a bigger school in a bigger conference, but because it was LSU.
“I was offered the Minnesota job and I was offered a job by Texas A&M and I was called by just about every school in the SEC to look at a job,” she said. “There was no other place I would ever leave Lafayette for. LSU was the only one.”
Girouard took over an LSU program on the brink of becoming one of the elite in college softball. Former coach Glenn Moore, who left after last season to coach at Baylor University, led the Tigers to consecutive SEC championships. He also guided the Tigers to within one win of the College World Series in each of the last two seasons.
Girouard said the rich tradition Moore had begun to establish in Baton Rouge made the opportunity to coach at LSU even more exciting.
“I love this campus because everyone walks around with LSU baseball or LSU track or softball t-shirts and hats. There’s a lot of pride on this campus,” she said. “This team (LSU) has accomplished a lot in the past few years and I want to build on that.”
But leaving UL-Lafayette meant leaving behind the program she built from the ground up into a nationally known softball power. In her 20 years at the helm in Lafayette, Girouard amassed a 758-252 record, was named the South Region Coach of the Year five times and took her team to the College World Series three times. She arrived at LSU the 8th winningest active coach in college softball.
Building that record and guiding her team to the success it enjoyed took a lot more effort than simply recruiting a team and teaching it how to play. Girouard said she often had to cut the grass on the field before the team could practice or drive the team van to an opponent’s stadium. And, she said, she was always responsible for promoting her team by speaking to civic organizations throughout the Lafayette area.
While Girouard won’t be riding any lawnmowers or driving any team buses at LSU, few doubts she will put forth the same tireless effort.
Tiger assistant coach Lori Osterberg, who played shortstop at UL-Lafayette from 1994-97 said now that Girouard is at LSU, she will have more time to focus on the way her team is playing.
“Coach Girouard is all about winning. She finds a way to make her team win,” Osterberg said. “She is enjoying the finer things about softball now. She’s concentrating on coaching the game and strategy. No matter what, she gave a lot of effort in Lafayette and she will do the same here.”
Osterberg, who moved back to her home state of Iowa to coach high school softball before coming to LSU, said playing for Girouard in Lafayette was a unique experience. She said the stands were always packed and she always felt confident she would win anytime her team took the field.
According to Osterberg and Girouard, that is the kind of excitement they are trying to build at LSU.
“Baton Rouge has such a strong softball tradition with its high schools.” Girouard said. “I used to build my teams in Lafayette with players from Baton Rouge. We need some of that excitement to carry over into our stadium. One day I hope to lead the nation in attendance just like we do at Alex Box Stadium.”
Reaching that goal is just one of many on her agenda, Girouard said. Right now, she’s trying to let the seniors on her team play the way they have for the last four years before and enjoy their last season, she said.
LSU is off to a fast start, earning a top 10 ranking throughout the pre-conference schedule. Hopefully, according to Girouard, her team will continue to play well enough throughout the year to reach the pinnacle of collegiate softball.
“I want to take this team to the College World Series,” she said. “They have been so close the last couple of years and they just need one more little push. I’ve been there three times and once you’ve been, you want to go back every season.”