Patricia “Pat” Pourciau was born in New Orleans on 2/23/59 but quickly became a
lifelong resident of St Bernard Parish as her Mom and Dad – Ethel and Ted
Pourciau moved to the Parish in 1961 with her sister, Brenda.
Pat’s love for sports began at the age of 8 on the recreation fields of Borgnemouth
Park where she began pitching a cabbage ball. She learned how to compete and
would eventually wear a high school, all-star , and collegiate softball jersey while
pitching at each level.
Those long afternoons, under the Louisiana sun, sparked a passion that would
shape the rest of her life. Pat was proud to be the first pitcher at her high school,
PGT Beauregard in her junior year. Her love for softball continued as she entered
college.
However, to her surprise USL did not have a collegiate softball program. Pat and
her future teammates learned that they had to have a successful club sport in order
to potentially have a softball program. After fulfilling this criteria USL (UL) Lady
Cajuns intercollegiate softball program was born under the leadership of coach
Yvette Girouard who took this program to unbelievable recognition.
Her sister, Brenda and her Dad would catch for her to practice pitching skills.
Neither one enjoyed doing that, but because they loved Pat and knew what doing
her best meant to her they both endured this until college.
The family’s unwavering support meant the world to her.
This experience challenged her, strengthened and taught her the value of
perseverance long before she ever stood on the other side of the whistle. Pat was
incredibly fortunate to learn from many outstanding coaches along the way. Linda
Landry LeCompte and Lisa Knower coached Pat during her high school years. In
her all-star years, she had Sister, Ms Betty, and Ms Alice to further guide her.
Lastly, the one and only coach Yvette Girouard completed her foundation in softball
as Pat competed as a Lady Cajun pitcher!
Being part of those programs led her to set the standard for everything that
followed.
Pat’s coaches demanded excellence; they believed in her, and instilled in her that
great coaching is divided into three equal parts of preparation, heart, and trust.
Those early lessons stayed with her as she returned to PGT Beauregard in 1982,
as a teacher and coach, completing a full circle one might say!
Pat soon discovered that teaching the game could be as rewarding as playing it.
Her teaching and coaching career began. Even though softball was her love a new
and exciting sport entered her life and that was volleyball. Like coaching any sport,
one begins with hard work, followed by experiencing unforgettable moments, and
many more than a few loud gym nights.

Over the years between PGT and SBH she had the privilege of working with
dedicated, players, managers, supportive families, statisticians, filming crew, and
colleagues who made every single season meaningful. Not to mention the support
of talented assistant coaches such as: Patrice Magee, Kelly Plascia, Polly Campbell
among a few, and dedicated players. They built a program rooted in values that Pat
was taught as a student athlete.
She learned early that success is built on teamwork, whether on the field, on the
sideline, or in the classroom. The culmination of these attributes led to the following
accolades:
*Two LHSAA VB State Championships
*Two LHSAA VB State Finalist appearances
*Two LHSAA VB State Semi – Finalists appearances
*Four LHSAA VB State Quarterfinal appearances
*Inducted into Louisiana Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame
*District Coach of the Year 14 years
*Six time Metro VB Coach of the Year
*Four time LVCA Coach of the Year
*Two time Coach of LHSAA VB All-Star team in Baton Rouge
*Many talented players went on to earn VB scholarships
Her playing career prepared Pat for coaching/teaching/administration

• mostly teaching her what not to do!
  Pat was employed in the St Bernard Parish school system for 37 years; and was a
  product of this system as well!
  All this coaching preparation made it easy to transition into administration as Pat
  became an Assistant Principal in 1995 and then Principal in 1999 at St Bernard
  High School!
  Teamwork was at the root of this transition, too, as the team took on a new look.
  She was now coaching staff, students, parents and most importantly teachers!

Administration was her final coaching call, and she couldn’t have asked for