“Coaching has filled my heart and life and has fueled my passion for 43 years,” wrote LSU gymnastics coach D-D Breaux in a love letter sent to Tiger fans via email and Twitter earlier this month. The message came as Breaux announced her retirement after what has become an iconic career filled with big wins and memorable seasons for the LSU gymnastics team.
As Breaux passes the torch to new head coach Jay Clark, she vows to stay connected with the university as an ambassador for LSU athletics.
Breaux was just 25 years old in 1978 when she was asked to helm a Title IX-created program that was little more than an afterthought on the LSU campus. The women’s team was evolving from a club sport to a varsity sport then, budgets were low, and practices were held in musty corners of the Huey P. Long gymnasium. “I had to convince people for every single thing I wanted,” Breaux says.
Breaux molded generations in her decades at LSU as she grew the program into the powerhouse it is today. LSU volleyball coach Fran Flory calls Breaux tenacious.
“She has no fear and she sees no obstacles, only opportunities,” Flory says. “Her methods and responses are sometimes a bit excessive, but that simply demonstrates her passion for all of us. There will never be another woman or member of our department who will impact women’s athletics in a more significant way.”
Read the full feature about Breaux from InRegister magazine.
